Australian man banned from driving for 17 years

A MAN who was clocked doing more than 125 mph in a stolen car between Cais and Townsville has been disqualified from driving until the year 2030.

Tryson-Jay Lewis, 30, stole a 2010 Ford Falcon from a Cais car yard on April 4, before driving at speed down the Bruce Highway and forcing police to abandon their pursuit.

Lewis said his eight month-long string of offending was triggered after seeing a look-alike of the man who killed his mother.

The serial traffic offender won't be able to apply for a licence for 17½ years, after he pleaded guilty to 15 charges - including four dangerous driving charges and five offences of failing to stop - in Townsville Magistrates Court this week.

Magistrate Peter Smid also jailed Lewis for two years and set a parole release date of October 2.

Lewis' defence lawyer Lisa McNamara told the court her client had struggled to cope since witnessing the murder of his mother at the hands of his stepfather in 2000.

Ms McNamara told the court Lewis was staying in a Cais hostel with a man who looked \"uncannily\" like his mother's killer.

\"It prompted him to lose it and conjured up what he had experienced in the past,\" she said. \"It's somewhat of a spiralling course of conditions.\"