'Hammer' drops on 'extremely dangerous' driver

A man who went on a months-long crime spree that involved stealing, driving impaired, ramming police cruisers and breaching court orders at every turn, was sent back to jail despite his plea to be released on the day of his trial.

“He’s desperate to get his life back on track,” argued defence lawyer Courtney Cameron at the sentencing hearing of Ozzy Bailey, 32, in Brantford court.

“He’s incredibly remorseful and committed to making sure it doesn’t happen again.”

But Bailey was facing more than four dozen charges from at least nine incidents in 2025 and came to court pleading guilty to two counts of dangerous driving, flight from police, driving while suspended, possession of stolen property over $5,000, theft under $5,000, driving without insurance, breach of probation, and four counts of failing to comply with court orders.

“You’re not dealing with violent offences …” began Cameron, but she was cut off by Justice Colette Good.

“Whoa now! He’s ramming police cruisers. I consider that violent. He’s driving on the sidewalk on a Friday at 1:30 p.m. with two public schools in the vicinity. He weaponized his vehicle against the police. What’s he’s doing is violent and extremely dangerous.”

It took assistant Crown attorney Shelby Seymour some time to lay out all the charges against Bailey.

He was driving around with an ‘unattached licence plate’ while suspended for unpaid driving fines and without ownership or insurance; twice he walked out of Home Depot without paying for goods both small and large, including a lawn mower and a chain saw; he was blocked by Brantford police in a Dufferin Avenue driveway and went across a front lawn and sidewalk to get away; he was in a collision on Market Street and took off; he sped off from police on North Park Street in a stolen vehicle and, when police located it on House Avenue, blocking it completely, he took off and was finally arrested in a backyard.

And, on many occasions, Bailey was repeatedly seen driving, despite an order that he not even sit in a driver’s seat.

“Today’s the day, sir,” said the judge.

“The hammer’s getting dropped. You’re not getting out.”

Bailey apologized to his family and the court for his “disturbance” and said he wants to get back into the community to do what he can to make it up.

“I messed up. I made some choices and I think about it every day.”

But the judge said behaving while in jail doesn’t equal behaving while in the community.

“The Supreme Court of Canada says unlicensed drivers are a menace on society and show contempt for the law,” said Good.

“You are the menace the Supreme Court is talking about. You seem to think you have a right to drive. You don’t.”

Good noted that Bailey had just one previous conviction for a driving offence but that was “only part of the picture” since his driving record was replete with traffic charges like speeding, unsafe moves and an improper licence plate.

“This is your seventh time before a criminal court and it’s not enough to say, ‘The light-bulb has gone on’, you’ve reached an epiphany and know you need to change your ways.

“We’re at the point where that rings hollow.”

The judge said Bailey couldn’t be trusted to serve the rest of his sentence at home, even with an ankle bracelet and she declined to give Bailey extra credit for the harsh conditions of Maplehurst jail.

“You should be going to the penitentiary,” said Good, but she accepted the Crown’s submission for an 18 month sentence.

With the time Bailey had already served, it left him just another 147 days in jail but he also has another five-year driving prohibition, a $5,000 fine for driving without insurance, a $1,000 fine for driving while suspended and a DNA order.

“DNA because you get into or cause accidents and take off,” said Good.

“DNA is one way to capture people who show callous disregard for public safety.”

SGamble@postmedia.com

@EXPSGamble