Qld transport company manager Matthew Jones in court for drink-driving

A manager at a Qld transport company got busted behind the wheel more than three times the legal limit after drinking “24 beers” - a court heard it was not his first drink-driving blunder.

Matthew Charles Ronald Jones, 55, pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court to drink driving. Generic image.

A manager at a Queensland transport company has faced court for getting busted driving over the limit after drinking “24 beers”.

Matthew Charles Ronald Jones, 55, pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court on Tuesday to drink driving.

The court heard that about 10.45am on May 25, police detected Jones speeding and they intercepted him on Gladstone-Benaraby Road.

Police prosecutor Corey O’Connor said Jones returned a positive roadside breath test and when questioned about his alcohol consumption, he became belligerent towards police before saying he had drank “24 beers.”

Jones subsequently returned a blood alcohol reading of .162.

The court was told Jones, a branch manager at a transport company, had previous drink driving offences on his traffic records including offending interstate - but none of those were in the past five years.

Solicitor Stacey O’Gorman said Jones had relocated to Gladstone for work.

“(He) had been drinking the night before (he was caught), or actually most of the day before and into the night,” she said.

“The following morning he and his partner decided they wanted to go for a drive and they were intercepted.”

Ms O’Gorman said after Jones committed this offence, he completed a driver education course through Queensland Transport.

“He is employed - he’s in a senior role, he’s actually a branch manager at a transport company,” the solicitor said.

Ms O’Gorman said Jones’ wife suffered from migraines and those sometimes prevented her from driving, and she’d had to stop working due to a medical condition.

“So she relies on him a reasonable amount to drive.

“As long as he can get to work, he will have a job.”

Ms O’Gorman said Jones had also approached his employer about doing some drink-driving education in the transport industry using himself as “an example or a cautionary tale.”

“Even though this (offence) wasn’t related to work or anything.”

Magistrate Edwina Rowan said this was a “significantly high reading.”

“At that reading, you put both yourself, (and) also other members of the public at significant risk,” Ms Rowan said.

“What causes me most concern, Mr Jones, is that you are someone with a history - a very concerning history - of drink driving.”

Ms Rowan fined Jones $2000 and disqualified him from driving for nine months.

A traffic conviction was recorded.