GATTON NBN contractor drives drunk and unlicensed

THE court heard the man thought he could keep his licence for work. DETAILS HERE:

Gatton Magistrates Court, generic court.

A GATTON NBN contractor pleaded guilty to drink driving and driving while disqualified in the Gatton Magistrates Court on Monday but expected to retain his licence for his job.

Amitkumar Patel was busted on Woodlands Road Gatton on October 20, after he was intercepted by police he blew a blood alcohol reading of 0.76.

Police Prosecutor senior sergeant Al Windsor said Patel was three days away from his licence being reinstated after he was disqualified from driving in April, again for drink driving offences.

Magistrate Graham Lee disqualified Patel from driving for two years because of his repeated offending despite Patel pleading for mercy because of his work.

The defendant represented himself and questioned the magistrate why his disqualification was for such a long period of time, and interjected numerous times when he was told it was a mandatory sentence.

Patel asked why he couldn’t get a work licence and was told by the magistrate he didn’t qualify because he had a previous offence within 6 months.

Mr Lee handed down a mandatory sentence of a minimum two-year disqualification and fined Patel $800 referred to SPER.

A conviction was recorded.

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