A man who claimed to not have driven during an eight-and-a-half-year disqualification period has been convicted in Orange Local Court for breaching the order.
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Michael Warrender of Frost Street, Orange, sent a message to the court saying he had a "rule not to drive while disqualified" and the offence was a "stupid oversight to which I am very disappointed in myself about".
"I received a letter stating I could get my licence back so I wrongly thought I wasn't disqualified from that time."
According to court documents, police were patrolling in Peisley Street at 8.42pm on May 2, 2024 when they saw 57-year-old Warrender riding an unregistered black and white 124cc motorbike.
He stopped at the Shell petrol station on Peisley Street and police approached him.
He gave his details and said his habitual offender declaration status had been lifted.
However, a check on his licence status revealed his driver's licence expired on July 10, 2003, and he was disqualified in Orange Local Court on February 2, 2015 until February 2, 2031.
Magistrate David Day sentenced Warrender after reading his letter in Orange Local Court on Thursday, June 20, 2024, and reviewing the police information and his criminal record.
Mr Day fined him $660 and disqualified his driver's licence for six months.
