A 30-year-old serial driving offender who was previously involved in a fatal drunken crash has been sentenced to nine months in jail after he took to the road with his licence suspended.
Mitchell William Donald Walsh admitted driving illegally on January 23 after a worker at his Perth plastering company called in sick and could not drive him to work.
Walsh has been convicted of more than a dozen driving offences including breaching the conditions of an extraordinary licence, but was not jailed for any of them.
He was arrested for his latest contravention after police technology detected that his ute's licence plate was linked to a suspended driver's licence.
Walsh's defence lawyer argued he should not be handed an immediate jail term and instead undergo counselling under a pre-sentence order, saying he decided to risk driving under suspension because he faced financial penalties for not completing a plastering job.
Walsh had poor problem-solving and planning skills, and suffered anxiety and nightmares after a 2003 accident that killed a young girl.
He was acquitted of driving under the influence because the prosecution was unable to prove his level of intoxication had an impact on the accident.
"This incident has had a very lasting effect on him," lawyer Oliver Paxman said in the Perth Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
"He appears to make silly decisions when the stress gets too much for him."
While Magistrate Giuseppe Mignacca-Randazzo described Mr Paxman's argument as "valiant", he said Walsh had no compelling extenuating circumstances.
"You chose to drive. You were sprung," Magistrate Mignacca-Randazzo said.
"You put your personal interests ahead of the rule and sanction of the law.
"In light of your history ... it really does stretch the imagination ... that you did not turn your mind to the consequences. It is unbelievable that you have not received the message not to drive."
He sentenced Walsh to immediate imprisonment, backdated to April 16 when he was placed in custody.
Walsh was also disqualified from driving for 15 months, to be served on top of a previous disqualification.
