A Lockyer Valley man was busted driving along a major highway while disqualified, six weeks after being in court.

Jayden Daniel Charles Charter appeared in the Gatton Magistrates Court on Monday, January 4, and pleaded guilty to driving a motor vehicle without a licence.

Police Prosecutor Senior Constable Narelle Lowe said at 9.30am on October 10, 2020, police intercepted a Black Mazda on the Warrego Highway at Helidon.

Police asked Charter for his licence, and their checks revealed he did not have one due to a disqualification period from August 24, to September 23.

Charter told police he had gone to buy new work clothes as he was starting a new job the following week.

He said he did not realise he had to reactivate his licence following the disqualification period.

The magistrate dismissed this claim however, saying he would have been told by the magistrate who imposed the fine.

His traffic record and criminal history was tendered to the court.

In court, Charter’s solicitor said her client was the sole provider for his family including two children.

In her submissions, Charter’s solicitor told Acting Magistrate Damien Carroll to impose the minimum disqualification period of month for the mandatory sentence as penalising Charter further would punish his family.

Magistrate Carroll fined Charter $600 and disqualified him from obtaining a licence for one month.

The conviction was recorded.

More stories by Hugh Suffell.