Disqualified Driver Spared Jail
A 34-year-old driver, Benjamin Edward Bakes, with a "shocking" criminal history, has been spared jail after forcing motorists off the road while fleeing police in a north-west Tasmanian town.
Bakes swerved into oncoming traffic multiple times, narrowly avoiding several head-on collisions, as he drove through Wynyard's residential streets in September 2022.
- Several drivers were forced to take evasive action to avoid crashing into Bakes.
- One motorist had to pull over to avoid a head-on smash.
- Another was forced to swerve when Bakes turned right without giving way, ignoring a give-way sign.
Your driving put a number of innocent lives at risk
Justice Michael Brett described Bakes' criminal record as "shocking" when sentencing him in the Supreme Court last month.
Author's summary: Disqualified driver spared jail despite reckless driving.