Aston Jones, Bradley McNamara, Karim Dowani, Kenneth Randolph: Drivers busted drinking in Townsville
A drunk fisherman who crashed into a power pole, an L plater who drove his family to a gathering after a big night and an electrical contractor who got behind the wheel after the races — meet the drunk-drivers punished in Townsville’s court.
Townsville
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Several motorists have appeared in Townsville Magistrates Court during the month of August after forgetting the age-old saying: “If you drink, then drive, you’re a bloody idiot”.
While some have blown just above the blood alcohol limit, others have put themselves and other motorists in danger by getting behind the wheel with too much booze under their belts.
Aston Tyron Trevor Jones
Bundaberg fisherman Aston Tyron Trevor Jones lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a pole after downing too many drinks, a court has heard.
Representing himself, Jones pleaded guilty to driving a motor vehicle while over the middle alcohol limit but not over the high alcohol limit and failing to have proper control of a vehicle.
Townsville Magistrates Court heard Jones had been turning right from Woolcock St onto High St, Garbutt at 6pm on May 9 when he lost traction with the rear wheels of his car, and crashed into a light pole.
The court heard a quarter of the bonnet was caved in by the impact.
He told officers he began to lose traction and slide while turning and applied the accelerator “to try and power out of the slide”.
“The defendant said he probably gave it a bit more than he should have,” police prosecutor Mark Fenlon said.
A breath test detected a blood-alcohol content of 0.114.
The magistrate chastised Jones for driving over twice the legal limit, saying he had no one to blame but himself.
Jones was fined a total of $1500, with a seven month licence disqualification, and no conviction recorded.
Bradley Scott McNamara
A man was caught driving at almost five times the legal limit after causing a crash in Townsville on June 17, a court has heard.
Bradley Scott McNamara recorded a blood-alcohol reading of 0.236 after police breath tested him when they responded to the crash on Bayswater Rd.
Police prosecutor Mark Fenlon said his driving was a danger to himself and other road users.
Unemployed and representing himself, McNamara pleaded guilty to driving a motor vehicle under the influence of liquor in Townsville Magistrates Court.
He told magistrate Peter Smid he had been drinking heavily and after his stay in the watch-house, and attended the Townsville hospital mental health unit where they put him on an involuntary treatment order for a month.
After his release, he was involved in a three-month alcohol rehabilitation program through the Salvation Army.
Magistrate Smid sentenced McNamara to probation and disqualified him from driving for 13 months.
A conviction was not recorded.
Karom Bigie Dowani
After having a “big drink” the previous day for his birthday celebration, an L plater got behind the wheel to drive to a family gathering at Pallarenda, a court has heard.
Karom Bigie Dowani was randomly pulled over by police and registered a blood-alcohol content of 0.073 – well above the zero legal limit for someone driving on his learners.
He pleaded guilty to drink driving while on his learner’s permit.
Police prosecutor Georgie Kiloh said there was nothing untoward about the way he had been driving, other than having children in the car at the time.
Defence lawyer Darryn Casson said his client didn’t realise he still had alcohol in his system.
Magistrate Viviana Keegan fined Dowani $350 and disqualified him from driving for three months.
Clinton Donald Laidlow
After a day at the races where he drank up to eight cans of alcohol, an electrical contractor from North Queensland shouldn’t have driven home, a court has heard.
Clinton Donald Laidlow, 28, recorded a blood-alcohol content reading of 0.124 when he was breath tested on Lakeside Drive, Cluden on July 30.
He pleaded guilty on August 16 in Townsville Magistrates Court to driving over while over the middle alcohol limit.
Defence lawyer Patrick Staunton said his 28-year-old client didn’t realise his level of intoxication before getting behind the wheel.
He said Laidlow needed his licence for his work where he was required to drive thousands of kilometres throughout North Queensland and had undertaken an online alcohol education program.
Magistrate Peter Smid said there needed to be a “sting” in his sentence, fining Laidlow $1500 and disqualifying him from driving for five months.
A conviction was not recorded.
William Trickett Wright
After making it to 84 without a blemish on his driving record, a man was busted just over the limit in Charters Towers.
William Trickett Wright pleaded guilty to driving over the general alcohol limit in Townsville Magistrates Court on August 9.
The court heard Wright was driving on Gill St when he was pulled over for a random breath test and recorded a blood-alcohol content of 0.07.
Magistrate Viviana Keegan said it was “disappointing” that he blew over the limit, to which Wright agreed.
She fined him $350 and disqualified him from driving for one month, with no conviction recorded.
Kenneth Sese Randolph
A man has admitted to drinking 12 beers and rum and coke when he was busted drink-driving in Townsville, a court has heard.
Kenneth Sese Randolph was stopped by police driving on Ingham Rd on July 27.
He registered a blood-alcohol content of 0.09.
Police prosecutor Georgie Kiloh said Randolph admitted to drinking beers and spirits before getting behind the wheel at 12.45am.
Representing himself on August 17, Randolph pleaded guilty in Townsville Magistrates Court to driving over the general alcohol limit.
When asked by Magistrate Viviana Keegan why he was driving at nearly double the blood alcohol limit, Randolph said he “thought he was sober enough” and that it was a “stupid decision” to drive.
Taking into account a relevant offence in his driving history the magistrate fined him $700 and disqualified him from driving for seven months.
A conviction was not recorded.
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Originally published as Aston Jones, Bradley McNamara, Karim Dowani, Kenneth Randolph: Drivers busted drinking in Townsville
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