Driving ban of 99 years handed to habitual drunk driver — again

A 54-year-old Shelburne County man is going to prison and will never be legally allowed behind the wheel again after he was prohibited on Tuesday from driving for 99 years — for the second time.

Ashley Trent Scott of East Green Harbour was handed the most recent 99-year driving prohibition in Nova Scotia Supreme Court by Justice Arthur Pickup. The man received the same lifetime ban in 2007.

Scott's sentence on Tuesday for driving while disqualified and refusing a breathalyser four years ago also includes four years and two months in prison.

The man has a lengthy criminal record with a total of 61 convictions since 1978 on everything from resisting arrest to escaping custody. Of those 61 convictions, 30 are driving-related, including eight convictions for drunk driving.

Shelburne Crown attorney Josie McKinney asked the court to impose the 99-year prohibition.

"A driving prohibition is mandatory under a refusal to provide a breath sample and so it was appropriate that it be equal to his previous driving prohibition," she told CBC News.

Serial offender

Scott is no stranger to getting behind the wheel while banned from doing so. He has a total of 12 prior convictions for driving while disqualified.

"The hope of this sentence is that it will deter Mr. Scott from committing these offences in the future and also to provide some separation between Mr. Scott and the community," McKinney said.

"Hopefully Mr. Scott has learned his lesson and doesn't get behind the wheel again, period, since he is essentially prohibited from driving for the rest of his life."

McKinney said Scott doesn't do well under the influence of alcohol, adding the court noted that played a role in the man's numerous convictions.

She said the 99-year ban was well within the range for a person with such an extensive criminal record for these kinds of offences.