Jacob Mathew Bowen: Unlicensed driver sentenced for string of offences committed in one night in Geraldton

A young unlicensed hoon driver has admitted to a string of driving offences that resulted in him being stopped by police twice within two hours, then refuse to stop for officers after reaching speeds of more than of 140km/h. Jacob Mathew Bowen appeared in Geraldton Magistrates Court on Thursday for sentencing on nine charges including three counts each of no authority to drive and using an unlicensed vehicle on a road. The 19-year-old was also sentenced on one count each of reckless driving by speeding by 45km/h or more, failing to give information identifying the driver in charge of a vehicle and failing to comply with a direction to stop. He was banned from driving for 27 months and fined more than $4000 for a spate of driving offences. Police prosecutor Snr-Const. Paul White said Bowen was stopped on April 8 about 5pm driving in West End and charged with driving without a licence and using an unlicensed vehicle. The court was told he was suspended from driving until October 15 while his car licence expired in February. At 6.49pm that same night, Bowen was stopped again by police in Tarcoola Beach and charged with the same offences. A request for a licence fee of $212.05 was made on both occasions. Then later that night, police received reports of a white Holden Commodore being driven around in an “anti-social manner” but were unable to locate the vehicle. Later, police were conducting patrols on North West Coastal Highway when they spotted Bowen’s vehicle travelling in the opposite direction. Police did a U-turn and called on Bowen to stop, however, he did not and police accelerated to 140km/h in attempt to intercept him. Bowen was last seen by police in Rangeway still travelling in excess of the speed limit. However, after some inquiries, Bowen was located and interviewed. Lawyer Gregory Chin said Bowen did not stop because he had a passenger in the vehicle with illicit substances on him. “It was an error of judgement of his behalf,” he said. The court was told Bowen is employed as a driller and working in Esperance for the next three months. In sentencing Bowen, Magistrate Angus Hockton remarked: “There are probably more people in prison for driving under suspension than any other offence.” Bowen was fined $2400 for the three driving under suspension offences, $700 for reckless driving, $600 for failing to give information identifying the driver or person in charge of a vehicle, $400 for using an unlicensed vehicle and $300 for failing to comply with a direction to stop. He was also ordered to pay $636.15 in licence fees.