Prohibited driving streak ends in jail term for local man

A judge agreed Tuesday that Mark Vasey just hasn't got the message that as a prohibited driver - many times over - he must not get behind the wheel.

"Your record shows you are not learning anything from the prohibitions. You just keep on driving," Ontario Court Justice John Kukurin told the 34-year-old man when he sentenced him to jail for just under a year for his latest such offence.

Vasey is on multiple court orders, including six indefinite prohibitions, stemming from offences that include dangerous operation causing bodily harm, impaired driving and three counts of driving while disqualified.

He pleaded guilty  to driving while prohibited, possession of fentanyl and mischief when he appeared before Kukurin.

The court heard a city police officer received a tip on April 30 that Vasey was operating a vehicle that was parked at an address on Malabar Drive.

The officer discovered he was a prohibited driver and wanted on a mischief warrant, assistant Crown attorney Robert Skeggs said.

On May 3, the constable saw the Pontiac Sunfire behind the Malabar Drive building at 9:35 a.m. but when he checked again shortly after that it was gone.

A few minutes later, he spotted the vehicle, followed it to the parking lot and then approached the driver, Skeggs said.

When Vasey was arrested and searched, the officer found he had .4 grams of fentanyl.

The mischief occurred on March 6, when Vasey damaged a door at Castle Home Realty/Fleming and Smith on Malabar.

Skeggs called for a 12-month jail term for the driving offence.

Vasey is at the point that if he is caught driving he's going to jail, the prosecutor said. 

"The question is for how long," he said, suggesting that message hasn't got through to the accused.

Defence lawyer Eric McCooeye proposed six to eight months, less credit for the time his client has spent in pre-sentence custody. 

There was no poor or careless driving, he said, adding the circumstances don't support a 12-month sentence for the short time Vasey was in the driver's seat.

"The message has gotten through to him with respect to driving," McCooeye maintained.

"It's something that he just can't do. He is suspended for a lifetime."

Vasey told the judge he has an addiction problem and that he intends to seek drug and alcohol counselling .

"I'm very sorry," he said, explaining he has a job lined up.

"It's a great opportunity and I'm not going to waste it," Vasey said. "I don't think you will see me again." 

Kukurin sentenced him to 330 days for driving while prohibited, and a further 30 days consecutive for the drug offence.

With the 218-day credit he received for his pre-sentence custody, Vasey faces a further 142 days behind bars.

Kukurin also imposed a five-year driving prohibition.

Vasey was placed on probation for 12 months for damaging the door, with conditions that he attend anger management and substance abuse programs, and pay $327 restitution.

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