A St. George's man who racked up 55 demerit points for various offences was yesterday penalised with a further 15 and given a suspended prison sentence.

Anthony Grant pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court to driving while disqualified and without his vehicle's lights on November 8. Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner ordered the Rock Oven Lane resident to pay a $500 fine, gave him ten demerit points for the first offence. He then issued a $100 fine and five demerit points for the second offence. The 21-year-old also received a stern warning: "This is your last chance. I am going to suspend this [30-day] prison term for 24 months, meaning if you are convicted in the next 24 months you are going to prison. I'm not kidding anymore."

Grant had earlier been given 55 demerit points for a series of traffic offences including speeding at 73 kilometres per hour and having no driver's licence on September 12. Once a driver receives 12 demerit points they are banned from all vehicles for 12 months.

Yesterday Grant apologised for his repeat traffic offences saying: "I'm trying to do better. I want to go away to school and stuff."

However his excuse was dismissed by Mr. Warner: "You commit traffic offences time after time. Then when you are ticketed you don't come to court, when you are fined you don't pay [and] when you are disqualified you continue driving on the roads. It's not that you haven't been given an opportunity, you just continue to do foolishness."

Mr. Warner asked Grant why he shouldn't send him immediately to prison, to which Grant replied: "If I'm in Westgate I can't continue my goal as a mechanic."

Grant's employer spoke on his behalf and urged Mr. Warner to show Grant leniency, before agreeing to pay his fines for him.