A woman who was stopped for a random breath test while driving through Molong has been convicted for driving while disqualified.
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Emily Jean Ling, 30, of Wellington, was not present in Orange Local Court for sentencing.
Magistrate David Day, however, determined he could sentence her in her absence after reviewing her traffic history and a police summary of the offence.
"It is a summary offence, no message has been received," Mr Day said of Ling's absence at court.
"She knew she was unlicensed to drive, she thought the disqualification had finished.
"I get the impression she just likes to drive around, irrespective of licence status."
According to court documents, Ling had recently been convicted for driving while suspended and driving with illicit drugs present in her oral fluid before the RBT in Molong on March 2 this year.
At the time, her licence was disqualified from June 21, 2022 to March 20, 2023.
However, despite knowing about the disqualification, Ling drove along the Mitchell Highway at Molong about 1.30pm on March 2, 2023.
Police were travelling north when they saw the vehicle and they turned on their lights and sirens and conducted a u-turn to stop the car for an RBT.
Ling stopped and when the police approached they saw a male passenger in the front passenger seat.
She produced her licence but said, "my licence has expired".
The expiry date was August 18, 2022 and further checks revealed she was disqualified.
When she was told about her licence status Ling said to the police, "I thought that had finished".
Mr Day convicted Ling in her absence and gave her a new six-month driving disqualification.
He also fined her $550.
"Her driving record is not the worst I've seen," Mr Day said and noted that she was serving a community correction order but decided not to take any action on the breach of the order.
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