Jimmy Ferreira has never held a driver’s licence, but that hasn’t stopped him from getting behind the wheel and going for a spin – quite a number of times in fact.
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It’s a predicament that has landed the 43-year-old in trouble with the law plenty of times throughout his adult life. He’s been banned from getting a licence until 2062.
However, in Wollongong Local Court on Friday, that date was extended by a further nine years care of four more traffic offences, including a pursuit from police.
Court documents reveal police were on patrol on May 31 when they saw Ferreira behind the wheel of a Ford Fiesta travelling along Lake Entrance Road at Warilla.
Officers followed the vehicle onto Captain Cook Drive and into the IGA carpark before activating their lights and sirens indicating for the vehicle to stop.
However, Ferreira sped off, leading police on a low speed pursuit through several Barrack Heights streets before eventually returning to Lake Entrance Road, where he turned onto the wrong side of the roadway.
He drove for about 50 metres against the traffic, causing multiple vehicles to have to take “evasive action” to avoid hitting him.
The pursuit was terminated, with Ferreira last seen turning onto Madigan Boulevard. The Fiesta was later found abandoned on Davies Crescent at Mt Warrigal.
The registered owner of the car told police she had sold the vehicle to Ferreira for $200 about five days earlier.
During a subsequent search of Ferreira’s Mt Warrigal house, police found a motorbike which had been stolen by Ferreira and a 12-year-old boy from Albion Park on May 27.
Ferreira was arrested on June 1.
He pleaded guilty to a host of charges in court on Friday, with Magistrate Michael Stoddart saying Ferreira’s lengthy criminal record did not entitle him to any leniency.
“I can’t overlook the serious nature of the offences, particularly the pursuit,” he said.
Ferreira was sentenced to 30 months jail, with a non-parole period of 15 months. He will be eligible to apply for a licence in 2071, at the age of 98.