Ingham court: Butcher Frank Connor pleads guilty to drink drive in Lucinda

A North Queensland butcher told police he had downed “50 drinks” over a 24-hour period before he was busted drink driving the next morning, a court was told.

Frank Mathew Connor outside the Ingham Magistrates Court. Picture: Cameron Bates

A North Queensland butcher told police he had downed “50 drinks” over a 24-hour period before he was busted drink driving the next morning, a court was told.

Frank Mathew Connor pleaded guilty in the Ingham Magistrates Court to driving over the general alcohol limit on a provisional licence with a blood-alcohol reading of 0.072 per cent in Lucinda on Sunday morning, April 20.

Police prosecutor Brandon Wood said Connor was stopped at a static police random breath test (RBT) site on Dungeness Road at 9.26am, returning a positive result.

“When questioned in relation to the matter, he stated that he had consumed approximately 50 drinks, that’s five zero drinks, over a 24-hour period,” he said.

“He explained that he’d drunk all sorts of beers and spirits, he stated that he was aware that he was on zero alcohol limit being a provisional licence holder.”

Frank Mathew Connor outside the Ingham Magistrates Court. Picture: Cameron Bates

Mr Wood said the minimum-mandatory loss of licence was three months.

Connor, 20, who was self-represented, had nothing to say in his defence.

Acting Magistrate Rhiannan Lee said that in reaching her decision, she had taken into account the early guilty plea, lack of prior drink-driving convictions and his comparative youth.

“Obviously it was terrible decision-making on your part; and if you had 50 drinks why you think it would be okay to get in the car is beyond me.”

Connor said he thought he would be okay to drive the next morning.

Magistrate Lee rejected the excuse.

“Clearly 50 drinks will have an impact and it will remain in your system for a long period of time.”

Connor was fined $800 and banned from driving for three months.

No conviction was recorded.

Originally published as Ingham court: Butcher Frank Connor pleads guilty to drink drive in Lucinda