Ninth driving conviction for man who has never had a licence
A prolific offender was back behind bars today after his ninth conviction for driving while disqualified.
Shane O'Rourke - who has never had a driving licence - was spotted by plain clothes police behind the wheel of a Vauxhall Zafira on May 28, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.
Miss Alka Brigue, prosecuting, said: "The officers recognised him as a disqualified driver. He was frantically trying to change gear to get away after realising who they were."
The car reversed at speed, swung onto the wrong side of the road and went through the busy junction of Moor Street and High Street, Brierley Hill with the traffic lights on red, the court was told.
Police tried but failed to follow 26-year-old O'Rourke, who had a total of 33 previous convictions involving 73 offences and was arrested two days later, revealed Miss Brigue.
He told police he had driven off because he could not afford to lose the car that was sold to a scrap dealer for £150 the following day after the vehicle had been dumped overnight on a pub car park, it was said.
Mr Simon Hanns, defending, explained: "He was on his way to sell it when seen by the officers. He has not passed a driving test, never had a legitimate licence and takes a pragmatic approach to the sentence he can expect."
O'Rourke from Blackacre Road, Dudley pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and having no insurance and was jailed for six months with a two year driving ban by Judge Mark Eades who told him: "Well, here we are again. This has become a routine for you. You go to prison, do your spell of time, come out, get caught driving while disqualified and go to prison again. Hopefully one day you will grow up and think a bit more about the risks of your behaviour to other people. You should be ashamed of yourself but I suspect you are not."
