Second time unlucky for unatuthorized driver

BARRHEAD - A Swan Hills man received a $1,000 fine for driving a motor vehicle when he shouldn't have.

Dylan Joseph Belebeck received the fine from Justice Carrie-Ann Downey during a Nov. 12 Barrhead Court of Justice session after he pleaded guilty to driving a motor vehicle while unauthorized.

The fine is inclusive of the victim fine surcharge.

Belebeck must pay the fine by Nov. 28, 2025, or risk 14 days in jail.

Initially, the accused asked for 10 months to pay the fine; however, to give Belebeck some wiggle room, Downey increased the time to just over a year.

Provincial traffic prosecutor R. Rees said the charge stems from an incident on Nov. 22, 2023, when police charged Belbeck for driving a motor vehicle in the Swan Hills area while unauthorized.

She added that the accused had a similar conviction for a driving offence while disqualified in September 2021.

The Crown also withdrew charges of mischief/damage under $5,000 and failing to attend a required court date.

Justice Downey asked if the number of days in default changed because this was Belebeck's second offence, noting 14 days was the minimum days for the offence.

Rees replied, no.

"The only time I would seek it to go higher is if the criminal code schedule would make it higher," she said.

Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com