Jarrod Jeffrey Neale faces Bundaberg Magistrates Court

A Magistrate has reminded a father-of-six, who crashed into a fence, about the seriousness of his offending after she spotted him smirking as details of his crimes were read out in court.

A father of six, who skidded 100m off the road and crashed into a fence, has fronted court for drink driving.

Jarrod Jeffrey Neale, 29, pleaded guilty in Bundaberg Magistrates Court to dangerous operation of a vehicle, obstructing police, driving over the middle alcohol limit and driving over the general alcohol limit.

In late September 2021, Neale returned a positive roadside breath test while driving along Water Street at Bundaberg South.

Less than two weeks later, on October 3, police received a phone call from the occupants of a house at Sharon, north of Bundaberg, saying a car had just crashed into their front fence.

When police arrived, they found a Mazda 3 sedan through the fence of the property and the passenger of the car standing outside the vehicle.

Shortly after, police witnessed Neale emerging out of a nearby macadamia farm.

The court heard Neale was travelling in an easterly direction and had attempted to make a right-hand turn on Grahams Road when the car slipped sideways for 100 metres, leaving the roadway and crashing into the fence, leaving the car unroadworthy.

When police told Neale not to put anything in his mouth so they could conduct a breath test, Neale kept trying to light a cigarette which resulted in him being charged with obstruction of police.

Neale admitted to consuming “a dozen beers” that day after he blew 0.194 during a breath test.

He also admitted he had not checked the tyres of his car for some time.

Magistrate Trinity McGarvie had warned Neale’s lawyer, Matt Molloy, that she witnessed him smirking while the facts of his offending were being read to the court.

“Before I hear from you, I’ll just give you an opportunity because it seems to me that I observed your client to smirk when the facts were read of removal of beers from the vehicle after the crash and it doesn't seem to me that any of the allegations in this are funny and it’s important he understands the seriousness,” Ms McGarvie said.

Mr Molloy told Magistrate McGarvie that he hadn’t observed that behaviour.

“In my consultation with him, he was very aware of the serious nature of this and possible ramifications for him,” Mr Molloy said.

Sargeant Klaassen said it was fortunate no one was seriously injured during the ordeal.

“Dangerous operation is a serious offence, especially because he was intoxicated and he’s crashed through the fence of the person’s house,” Sergeant Klaassen said.

“He and the other passenger involved is very fortunate, so is the other person at the scene and no one was seriously injured or hurt.

“It’s concerning that in September he had a positive roadside breath test and less than two weeks later again, driving a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.”

Mr Molloy told the court Neale had a steady relationship and was not currently working but was looking to move to Brisbane to take up employment with his brother-in-law.

“He’s been with his partner for 6 months, between he and his partner they have six children, including primary care of two of his children,” Mr Molloy said.

“He fully accepts he had way too much to drink, he knew he shouldn't have been driving and he made the conscious decision to get behind the wheel.”

Magistrate McGarvie warned Neale of the consequences of his actions.

“You consumed at least 12 beers, possibly more,” she said.

“You knew you were intoxicated, you chose to get behind the wheel of a vehicle, you drove dangerously.

“You had a responsibility for a passenger.”

For the two charges of blood alcohol concentration and obstruction of police, Neale was sentenced to nine months probation.

For dangerous operation of a vehicle, he was sentenced to three months in jail, wholly suspended.

Convictions were recorded.