Man told jail likely

Press, 29 May 1985, Page 4

Man told jail likely

A motor mechanic and garage owner was told by Judge Fogarty in the District Court yesterday that there was a distinct likelihood of his receiving a custodial sentence for his latest offence of driving while disqualified. The defendant, Norman David Clarke, aged 27, had pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while disqualified in Pages Road at 6.30 p.m. on February 9. He was convicted and remanded on bail to June 11 for sentence.

Sergeant M. P. Caldwell, who prosecuted, said the defendant was stopped by a police patrol while driving, and admitted being a disqualified driver. He said he had had to go to a

person’s place and had no other way to get there but to drive. •

The Judge commented that this offence had occurred 12 days after the defendant’s conviction for a similar offence. Defence counsel (Mr G. J. Venning) said that there were “strange” circumstances surrounding the earlier offence and that was shown in the light penalty imposed, and with no disqualification. The offence had a marital background.

Two other charges of disqualified driving, and two associated charges of breaching a non-molestation order, all on December 3, were withdrawn by the police after the defendant’s

wife, from whom he is separated, Jennifer Gayle Clarke, declined to give evidence. These charges had been denied by the defendant, and were to have proceeded as a defended hearing. Sergeant Caldwell said, when outlining the circumstances of the charges, that the defendant was alleged to have approached his wife in Breezes Road and, later in the day, went to her house, and had driven a car on both occasions. The defendant’s wife was then called as the main prosecution witness, but said she did not wish to give evidence. The charges were then withdrawn after an adjournment.