Joseph Dallas Croft sentenced to jail time for repeatedly driving while disqualified in Tamworth

Joseph Dallas Croft, 40, was told during sentencing in Tamworth Local Court last week that any excuse or justification for driving without a valid licence was complete nonsense.

Magistrate Roger Prowse told Croft the days of doing whatever he wanted had come to an end, and ordered corrective services to "take him away, thanks" to the police cells.

Community corrections orders for previous offences were revoked and Croft was handed a total prison term of 26 months with 16 months non-parole for seven charges.

He lost his licence for a further two years.

The court heard Croft had offences on his record of a similar nature.

Mr Prowse said the Legal Aid lawyer that represented him when he was caught at one point last year must have made the "most powerful submissions known to mankind" to keep him out of jail.

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He said the court had led Croft up the garden path with leniency, and that he had been given a false sense of security that he could continue to hit the road while disqualified and get away with it.

"You have been treated exceedingly generously ... and you have abused it, and abused it, and abused it," Mr Prowse told Croft, who had been out in the community and appeared in person for sentencing.

"That situation is coming to an end today.

"You have lowered your trousers and exposed your buttocks."

The court heard Croft had been caught on one occasion behind the wheel travelling the streets of Tamworth while a woman - who held a licence - sat in the passenger seat because she didn't want to drive.

The court heard that at one time earlier this year Croft had stolen $144 worth of unleaded 98 fuel from a Caltex service station in town.

"You were driving whilst disqualified while stealing petrol," Mr Prowse said.

Legal Aid defence solicitor Rachael Dobson told the court Croft had been working in a maintenance role and had the support of friends, family and colleagues to get to the location.

She said he had clarity after getting out of a "dysfunctional" personal situation.

The charges Croft was sentenced for last week - largely stemming from separate incidents - were six counts of driving while disqualified and one count of dishonestly obtaining property by deception.

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