Said Alameddine, 29, was before the court for sentence over driving disqualified in an unregistered and uninsured motor vehicle and giving police a false statement that resulted in an investigation in December this year.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Brett Donaghy told the court a police patrol had seen Alameddine, of Sydney Road, driving about 11.05pm December 29.

He had been driving in Rocket Street and Forest Place where the patrol came across a silver Subaru abandoned in the middle of the road with its lights on.

Sgt Donaghy said the person driving the car had gone but they found a wallet belonging to Alameddine inside the vehicle.

Police had arranged to have the vehicle towed away when Alameddine had made a phone call at 9am to report a break-in at his house, Sgt Donaghy said in a statement of facts tendered.

Alameddine reported that his car, keys, wallet and mobile phone had been stolen after he had gone to bed after taking three sleeping pills about 9pm on December 29. He said he not woken until about 7am on December 30 when he discovered his lounge room had been broken into.

Police had carried out an investigation that extended to a forensic examination of fingerprints on Alameddine’s car.

The police had also viewed closed circuit security footage from a service station that showed Alameddine getting out of the car, going to the service station door and returning to his vehicle.

After taking into account Alameddine’s extensive driving record, relieving magistrate Michael Allen warned Alameddine that the only way to stop him reoffending might be to impose a custodial sentence.

But instead he fined Alameddine $1729 and ordered him to enter an 18-month good behaviour bond as an alternative to jail, in addition to disqualifying him from driving until 2012.

Alameddine was also convicted and fined $379 by Mr Allen after pleading guilty to possession of 7.49 grams of cannabis police found in his pocket after leaving a known location for drug supply in Bathurst about 4pm on December 12.