Frederick Doolan sentenced to 12 months in jail after pleading guilty in Bathurst Local Court to driving while disqualified

Those are the words Frederick Doolan spoke as he was sentenced to 12 months behind bars, with a non-parole period of six months, after he pleaded guilty in Bathurst Local Court on September 7 to driving during his disqualification period.

According to court documents, the 37-year-old was riding an unregistered motorcycle in a southerly direction on Panorama Avenue in South Bathurst at 1.25pm on May 25 this year.

Police activated their warning devices to stop Doolan - who was on parole at the time - for the purpose of an alcohol breath test, which later came back negative, and question the registration status of the motorcycle.

He stopped approximately 300 metres north of the Havannah Street intersection.

The court heard that police approached the motorcycle and asked Doolan if he held a current driver's licence which he replied "nah".

In relation to the motorbike, he told police that he bought it from a relative and was taking it to South Bathurst.

Checks in the Roads and Maritime Services database revealed that Doolan had never held a driver licence in any state of Australia, the court heard.

The checks also revealed Doolan had a number of convictions for serious traffic matters with the most recent in Bathurst Local Court on November 26 in 2020 where he was convicted of several licence and driving offences.

He was disqualified from driving for five years and sentenced to three years in jail. At the time of the offence, he was on parole until April 30, 2023.

Doolan's Aboriginal Legal Service solicitor, Ms Duncan said although her client's criminal record was "terrible", a term in prison would be to his detriment.

"Sentencing him to a custodial term will undo all of the progress he has made," Ms Duncan said.

"The SAR [Sentencing Assessment Report] is really glowing ... it's one of the best ones I've seen in a really long time.

"His drug use and mental health has gotten the best of him."

Magistrate Elizabeth Ellis said rather than a jail term reversing the "positive work" he has done, Doolan's actions must have consequences.

"Mr Doolan has to accept responsibility for his actions. The only way to stop him from offending is to put him in jail," Magistrate Ellis said.

Doolan will be eligible for release on March 6 next year.

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