Albany man behind bars after 32nd conviction for driving without a licence

An Albany man has been jailed for 20 months after leading police on a high-speed chase in what was his 32nd conviction for driving without a licence. Kevin Geoffrey Bain, 39, appeared in Albany Magistrate’s Court last Thursday, where he pleaded guilty to a string of charges including reckless driving to escape police pursuit, no authority to drive, careless driving and failing to comply with a direction to stop. Police prosecutor Sergeant Alan Dean told the court that about 12.40pm on July 3, Bain failed to stop for police on Anson Road, leading to a chase through Milpara. Sgt Dean said Bain had a passenger in the vehicle and was clocked at 130km/h in a 60km/h zone and 140km/h on Chester Pass Road. Bain continued travelling at 140km/h in an 80km/h zone, overtaking vehicles on solid white lines and pulling away from police as he approached roadworks, the court was told. Police aborted the chase. In relation to a separate incident, Sgt Dean told the court that at about 11:30am on January 9, Bain was driving a BMW on Stirling Highway in East Fremantle when he was involved in a crash. “The accused was approaching traffic stopped at red light, he’s failed to stop and collided with the rear of a vehicle which pushed into another car,” Sgt Dean said. Sgt Dean said the driver of the car he struck received injuries to his forehead, back and shoulder. The court was told Bain, a car mechanic who is disqualified from driving for life, gave his first name to the driver before leaving the scene. Bain was taken into custody on August 12. Defence counsel Wendy Stewart said her client could not recall the events of the January incident but accepted the charges. “Not stopping for police — Mr Bain realised it was stupid and that he panicked,” Ms Stewart said. “With a lengthy criminal record at 39 years old, he has said he has spent half of his life in prison.” Magistrate Robert Young told Bain he had a habit of getting out of prison and picking up where he left off. He described Bain’s long list of 32 driving without authority offences as “quite extraordinary”. “The pre-sentence report is extremely negative ... antisocial behaviour patterns presenting a danger to the public,” Mr Young said. Mr Young said Bain had a high risk of re-offending and would have to “bear the consequences” of his actions. A conviction for reckless driving to escape police pursuit carries a mandatory six-month prison term. The magistrate handed Bain a 20-month prison sentence, backdated to August 12. He was made eligible for parole.