November 27, 2012
A 40-year-old woman with a tragic life story of physical and sexual abuse has been jailed for drink driving and driving while disqualified.
Magistrate Mark Bucknall said he was very sympathetic to the plight of Patricia Conlon, who pleaded guilty to the charges.
“She’s had a tragic life but I’m also bound by law and the oath I took,” Mr Bucknall said in Kingaroy Magistrates Court on Thursday.
Police Prosecutor Sgt Wayne Bushell said Conlon had been convicted five times previously for driving while disqualified. When she was pulled up by police in May 2011 she was more than four times over the legal limit.
Solicitor Mark Oliver, for Conlon, said his client had started drinking at the age of 14.
He painted a picture of a lifetime of sexual and physical abuse, including being raped, horsewhipped, flogged with chains and tied onto a galloping horse.
“She wanted to commit suicide on the night of the offence,” Mr Oliver said.
However he said Conlon had since taken steps to rehabilitate herself. She had stayed at a women’s rehab at the Glasshouse Mountains and had started attending CTC’s women’s group. She had gained employment as a cleaner.
Conlon also worked as a volunteer at Graham House putting together food parcels and was attending a mental health group where she talked to younger people about her experiences.
She had also recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.
“This woman has had a terrible life. This is a woman who needs help, not imprisonment,” Mr Oliver said.
Mr Bucknall noted that Conlon had “some magnificent references” but said she had served an actual sentence of imprisonment in the past for disqualified driving.
On the last occasion, in 2010, she had received a five-month jail sentence which had been suspended for two years.
The magistrate said he had heard about her compromised upbringing and her battle with alcoholism. He would take into account the fact she had stayed out of trouble for a reasonable period of time, the “glowing” references and submissions from her solicitor.
“But I have to take into account that you’ve been before the courts on many occasions for unlicensed and disqualified driving, and driving under the influence,” he said.
“I can’t ignore that history. I can’t ignore the oath that I took as a judicial officer to act without bias.”
He ordered that she serve the whole term of imprisonment from the suspended sentence but ordered a parole release date of December 18.
On the new charges, Conlon was sentenced to a 12-month intensive correction order, and ordered to complete a Level 2 Driving With Care course within four months.
“You’ll be out before Christmas,” Mr Bucknall said.
Conlon was also disqualified from driving or obtaining a licence for a total of 42 months.
