RICHARD John Abraham, of Catalina, pleaded guilty to two counts of mid-range drink driving and one of driving while his driver’s licence was suspended when he appeared before Batemans Bay Local Court on July 6.
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When magistrate Doug Dick read out the police facts to the court, he noted that if the same two offences were committed at the same time, the penalty for the second offence could be more severe.
The court heard that in the late evening on June 5, Abraham failed a random breath test on Beach Road.
At the police station after his arrest, he told police he had been drinking mixed spirits and beer.
He recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.139 grams, and his driver’s licence was suspended.
About 90 minutes later, in the early hours of June 6, Abraham’s vehicle was stopped by police in Golf Links Drive, Catalina.
The defendant’s blood alcohol reading, though reduced to 0.110, still registered in the middle-range prescribed concentration of alcohol.
“You were then caught again, even though you were suspended,” Mr Dick said.
Abraham said he didn’t want to leave the car where he had been stopped on Beach Road, and that he gave in to temptation and “just started it up”.
“I would like to do the Serious Traffic Offenders Program,” Abraham said.
Mr Dick said he could do the program this Friday.
In the meantime, the defendant will be interviewed by Community Corrections for a Sentencing Options Report to be considered by the court when he is sentenced on July 13.