PENTICTON – A Penticton judge had little sympathy for a man with a lengthy record of driving charges after pleading guilty to other driving offences in court last Thursday.

Terrance William Fiolleau, 44, of Grand Forks received a seven month jail sentence after entering guilty pleas in Penticton court on Thursday, April 13 to charges of driving while prohibited, wilfully resisting or obstructing a police officer, possession of stolen property under $5,000 and breach of probation for being in the driver’s seat of a vehicle.

Crown Prosecutor Kurt Froehlich told court Fiolleau was stopped by Osoyoos police in a routine roadside check on March 7 of this year because the license plate on a trailer being towed by Fiolleau was obscured.

Fiolleau could not provide his driver's license or registration for the trailer to the officer, who, after checking the plate learned it belonged to a motorcycle reported stolen in 2015. Fiolleau also falsely identified himself at first, providing his correct name when the officer asked a second time. Further investigation revealed Fiolleau to be a prohibited driver. He was arrested and the vehicle impounded.

Froehlich made note of Fiolleau’s “significant and aggravating” driving record, including 10 previous convictions for driving without a license, seven convictions for no insurance, an impaired conviction, one conviction for failure to stop for police, two convictions for driving while disqualified and two convictions for dangerous driving.

Froehlich requested Judge Gregory Koturbash impose a sentence of seven months along with a three year driving prohibition.

Defence lawyer Robert Maxwell told court his client had been driving back to Grand Forks from the coast with a man he was helping change a motor. When the other man fell asleep, Fiolleau decided he would drive the rest of the way home from Osoyoos, just prior to being seen by police.

He also noted his client had once fallen off a ladder, acquiring an injury that affected his thinking.

Maxwell asked the judge for leniency and a sentence of four to six months.

Fiolleau apologized to the court for his actions and irresponsibility saying he had "let down people in his life."

Judge Koturbash said it was not unusual to see sentences of nine to 12 months for people with driving records as bad as Fiolleau’s, noting a total of 47 prior Motor Vehicle Act infractions.

“You are indeed incorrigible,” he told Fiolleau, issuing a sentence of 210 days followed by a three year driving prohibition. With time served, Fiolleau has 154 days left in his jail term.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad or call 250-488-3065 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.