COUNTY - A former Bridgewater resident who already owes the court more than $50,000 in fines added to his total April 21 when he pleaded guilty to his 43rd charge of driving while his licence was revoked.

 Crown attorney Lloyd Tancock said the case left him shaking his head as he told the court about 44-year-old Scott Frederick Martell's record of driving offences.

 The current Dartmouth resident also has five prior convictions for driving without a licence under a different section of the Motor Vehicle Act.

 "He obviously has no regard whatsoever for the laws that the rest of the driving public in the province take very seriously," Mr. Tancock said.

 Mr. Martell was stopped in Bridgewater in February, just five months after his last conviction for driving while revoked.

 Saying it was unfortunate that legislation doesn't allow Mr. Martell to be sent directly to jail, the Crown attorney requested a $5,000 fine in the case.

 Asked by Judge Richard MacKinnon if he had anything to say, Mr. Martell didn't disagree.

 "I'd say that's warranted, Your Honour. Whatever your judgment is, I'll accept," he said.

 Judge MacKinnon asked Mr. Martell if he had outstanding fines for the earlier offences and Mr. Martell confirmed that he did. He estimated the total was about $20,000.

 But the court clerk checked the computer records, telling Judge MacKinnon Mr. Martell actually owed $53,817.50 at that point.

 The judge said the point of fining people for offences is to change their behaviour.

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 "Obviously, in your case, that didn't work on 42 previous occasions," Judge MacKinnon told Mr. Martell.

 He fined the man $4,000 tacking on court costs and victim fine surcharge for a total of $4,710.21.

 If that isn't paid by July 14, Mr. Martell could face three months in jail. In the alternative, if the self-employed painter makes some effort to pay, he can come back to court and request more time.

posted on 04/27/10