Jamari Peter Fernando Stanley pleads guilty to reckless driving, makes 'commendable' amends

Jamari Peter Fernando Stanley, 22, of Castlereagh Avenue, pleaded guilty to driving recklessly/furiously or speeding in a dangerous manner, being unlicensed, not wearing a secure/approved helmet, using an unregistered motorbike on the road, and using an uninsured motor vehicle.

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Police said they were near Castlereagh Avenue due to an unrelated matter about 11.50pm on November 7 last year when they heard the sound of a motorbike accelerating harshly.

A short time later, police saw a yellow and black Suzuki RM85 motorbike being ridden at speed on Cobra Street. A few minutes later, they saw the bike again, being ridden north along Sheraton Road.

Another police team had been driving east on Castlereagh Avenue when the bike was seen being ridden on the incorrect side of the road towards their vehicle, almost colliding.

Police said they made a U-turn to follow the bike and identified the rider as male, wearing all black clothing, red shoes and no helmet. They later identified the rider as Fernando Stanley.

He again caused a near collision with police while accelerating towards the intersection at Shoalhaven Avenue and Peel Place.

Fernando Stanley rode a short distance along Shoalhaven Avenue and stopped outside his home.

Police arrested the rider while his brother approached him to tell him off for "stealing" his bike. Police said his brother did not wish to report his bike stolen.

The rider was then taken to Dubbo Police Station where it was revealed that he held a class C learner's permit but was unlicensed for the class of vehicle he was riding.

The bike was also unregistered and uninsured, according to court documents.

On Wednesday, defence solicitor Toshi Weller-Wong said his 22-year-old client was supported by his grandmother in the court gallery.

"Obviously, the driving... is of concern to the court and community," he said.

Mr Weller-Wong told the court his client told him it was "a spur of moment" action and he was going to visit a friend.

He said Fernando Stanley had never come before a court and saw this incident as a "wake-up call".

He said his client was smoking a lot of cannabis and cigarettes at the time but now had made changes like going to the gym and becoming part of the LeaderLife program at Apollo House which involves young people gaining skills like landscaping.

"He told me, 'I got 15-20 mates going in and out of jail all the time, I don't want to be like that, I don't want to follow the same path'," Mr Weller-Wong said.

Magistrate Gary Wilson said it was "quite commendable" with regard to the usual "run of the mill" defendants that came to the court. He said he had certainly taken Fernando Stanley's statement into account.

For driving recklessly and driving while unlicensed, Mr Wilson sentenced Fernando Stanley to a 12-month community release order without recording a conviction. The rest of his charges resulted in convictions without further penalty.

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