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A disqualified driver put "two fingers up to the courts" when he drove in the centre of Truro while halfway through a suspended sentence for other serious crimes. John Quinn was caught at the wheel of his Volkswagen Tiguan by officers from Devon and Cornwall Police on Boscawen Street in the centre of the city on August 19 while they looked for drivers going down the semi-pedestrianised street.
The 34-year-old from Grampound Hill, Grampound, was stopped by police and when they checked his licence he was found to be a disqualified and uninsured driver. Not only that but the offence had been committed while he was one year into a suspended sentence for two years for stalking and criminal damage. He also committed a further shoplifting offence in July.
He was arrested and charged with two driving offences which he pleaded guilty to at the first opportunity at Truro Magistrates' Court. At a sentencing hearing at Truro Crown Court today (Tuesday, October 21) Quinn's barrister said he has had issues since early in life and is eager to receive the help he needs from probation services.
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He told the court Quinn is "doing his very best to comply and he is nearly a year into a suspended sentence". He added: "He was unaware the he was disqualified from driving when he was stopped by police. This man suffers from serious mental health issues and drug addiction. But he is sober now and doing well and his mental health is improving.
"This breach is an aberration."
His Honour Judge Simon Carr did not believe a word of it saying it had been Quinn's choice to drive and surely he had known he was banned from driving unless of course he had been asleep in court when the disqualification was handed out to him.
Judge Carr activated the suspended sentence for the other matters and added several months in prison to Quinn's sentence for the new matters.
He said: "You committed serious offences but the court decided to treat you with clemency. Your reaction was to commit shoplifting in July. Obviously that was not a wake up call enough for you.
"I don't accept for a moment that you were not aware that you were disqualified from driving. You cannot not have known. It shows a blatant decision not to comply with court orders, like sticking two fingers up to the courts then saying 'catch me if you can, I don't think you will'.
"You have 17 convictions for 28 offences. I don't think it is unfair to activate your suspended sentence."
Judge Carr sentenced Quinn to 12 months in prison. He will serve 40 per cent before being released on licence. He is further disqualified from driving for 12 months with an additional six month to cover beyond his prison term.
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