disqualified from driving for a second time.

Olantunji Gardiner, a 27-year-old truck driver for AF Smith Trading, was disqualified from driving yesterday in Magistrates' Court, after a one hour hearing in plea court.

Records show Gardiner had already been disqualified from driving all vehicles in April after he pleaded guilty to speeding. But Gardiner insisted that in that case Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner had allowed him to keep his small truck license.

In court yesterday the ban was extended for another year until April 2002 after Gardiner was caught driving while legally off the road.

Acting Senior Magistrate Edward King told the defendant:"It says here, you were taken off for all vehicles.'' Gardiner produced a valid driver's license for light trucks and demanded to know why TCD would allow him to renew his licence in May if he had been disqualified from all vehicles in April.

Mr. King replied: "What TCD does over there is their own business.'' Gardiner, of Woodlands Road, Pembroke, pleaded guilty to speeding at 81 kilometres on August 16 and said he did it to catch someone whose ladder had fallen off the top of their truck.

"The ladder fell to the side -- it was scrapping on the road, nearly hitting people -- I had to jam on brakes,'' he said.

Gardiner said a co-worker got out of truck and picked the ladder up. The pair then tried to catch up with the vehicle in front.

But Police pulled him over and discovered that he was disqualified from driving all vehicles until April 2001.

But Gardiner remained resolute that Mr. Warner allowed him to continue to drive his truck to support his children.

He said: "I don't understand how I could be off the road for everything and still get a licence.

"How is it that I could get a valid driver's licence then?'' Gardiner continued. "I don't think I should be charged with driving while disqualified and I have a valid licence in my hand.'' "There are lots of things Magistrates would like to do but,'' Mr. King replied, dramatically holding up a piece of paper listing the penalties a Magistrate can impose.

"The record indicates on the 13 of April, you were disqualified from all vehicles for 12 months,'' he explained. "If the court disqualifies someone and TCD wants to give them a licence in the face of a court order -- that's TCD's business.'' Gardiner was fined $750 for driving while disqualified and $900 for speeding.

And when Mr. King asked Gardiner if he would need time to pay, Gardiner said: "As of today -- I'm fired.'' Gardiner was given until February 28, 2001 to pay the fine or serve 280 days in prison.