A Mandurah man who was driving a motorcycle without a licence when he crashed into a car while trying to outrun police, soon after being released from prison on similar charges, has been fined $2000.
Daniel Barry Collyer, 33, appeared in Mandurah Magistrates Court on February 23 on charges of having no authority to drive and failing to stop.
Police prosecutor Sgt Naomi Foster told the court about 11.15 am on October 20, Collyer was riding a motorcycle on Coodanup Drive in Coodanup when he failed to stop when directed to by a police car following behind him with its lights and siren on.
Collyer continued driving until he crashed into another vehicle at the intersection of Coodanup Drive and Newport Drive, ending the pursuit.
Sgt Foster told the court that when arrested by police, Collyer said he was riding the motorcycle to “clear his head” after having an argument with his partner.
Collyer was on parole at the time of the offence after being jailed for dangerous driving to escape a police pursuit in circumstances of aggravation and was only released in June, Magistrate Leanne Atkins said.
Collyer represented himself in court and said during the crash his “collarbone snapped in half” and he had “learnt his lesson”.
Ms Atkins told Collyer he should have “learnt his lesson” when he was jailed for similar offending.
“Your imprisonment should have been a wake-up call,” she said.
Ms Atkins said she would give Collyer “one chance”, fining him $2000 and disqualifying his driver’s licence for nine months.
She warned him that if he drove again, his punishment would be harsher and he would “ruin the progress” he had made since leaving prison, potentially losing his job and housing as a result.