Name and shame: Gladstone residents sentenced for drink/drug driving

From a man who drove after a night out to another who drove while three times over the limit, these were the motorists sentenced in court on Monday.

A Gladstone man who told police he had been drinking at a nightclub just hours before driving was just one of the residents sentenced in court on Monday for drink or drug driving.

Vijayraj Laxman Menon pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of liquor and driving unlicensed.

The 43 year old was intercepted by police for a random breath test in a service station car park on Glenlyon Street.

After being taken to the Gladstone police station, Menon’s second breath test returned a reading of .153.

When questioned, Menon said he had been driving a mate to the service station for cigarettes before dropping him at his car and heading home.

Menon said he had consumed two whiskeys while at Mie Place Night Club on Goondoon Street before being intercepted.

In sentencing, Magistrate Bevan Manthey said he had to send a message to the community that both unlicensed and drink driving were unacceptable.

Menon was convicted and fined $2000 and suspended from driving for two and a half years with convictions recorded.

Steven Lee Higginbotham, 60, pleaded guilty to driving while over a no alcohol limit but not over the general alcohol limit while being on a provisional licence.

On August 10, around 9.16am, Calliope police intercepted Higginbotham driving a green Hyundai Wagon on Toolooa Street.

Higginbotham submitted to a roadside breath test which returned a positive result of .044 and he was issued a notice to appear in the Gladstone Magistrates Court.

Magistrate Bevan Manthey convicted and fined Higginbotham $600 and suspended him from driving for five months.

Driving along a rural road in the Gladstone region, Kade Anthony Thomas Kober was intercepted by police with two children in his back seat.

The 24 year old was pulled over on Fingerboard Road, Mount Tom on July 12, around 1.25pm.

Kober submitted to a roadside drug test which returned a positive result.

When questioned by police, Kober admitted to smoking cannabis the night before.

He was convicted and fined $800 and suspended from driving for four months. He escaped a conviction.

Matthew John Jermanus was intercepted by Gladstone police while speeding on Gladstone Benaraby Road around 6pm on July 30.

Jermanus, 36, submitted to a breath test which returned a blood-alcohol reading of .115, more than twice the legal limit.

The scaffolder was convicted and fined $600 and suspended from driving for six months.