QT's name and shame: This week's drink and drug drivers

Every Monday the QT publishes the names of drink and drug drivers who have appeared in Ipswich Magistrates Court over the past week.

IN COURT: Police caught a man drink driving after he had six glasses of wine at home before getting behind the wheel. Picture: Scott Powick

EVERY Monday the QT publishes the names of drink and drug drivers who have appeared in Ipswich Magistrates Court over the past week.

PAUL John Attard, 46, from Lowood, pleaded guilty in Ipswich Magistrates Court to drink driving at Willowbank on March 17 with an alcohol reading of .063. Attard told the court he was working a 12-hour shift as a chef at a country music festival and had been pulled over. He had gone home and had six glasses of wine but didn't eat. He said he complied with a 24-hour immediate driving suspension but then received a letter from the Transport Department saying he was suspended until his court date. "I knew this was wrong as I only had a low-range drink driving offence," he told Magistrate Donna MacCallum. "A sergeant told me it was a clerical error on her behalf. It took me three weeks to get rectified. I didn't drive." Ms MacCallum fined Attard $300 and disqualified his licence for one month.

Melanie Jade Turner, 28, from South Ripley, pleaded guilty to drug driving with methylamphetamine and cannabis in her system at Ripley on March 13. She was intercepted by police at 7.30am. "I was doing the wrong thing and not thinking clearly," Turner told the court. Turner was fined $350 and lost her licence for three months. She was issued with a restricted work licence.

Sekonaia Manu Telefoni, 27, from Redbank Plains, pleaded guilty to drink driving (0.137) on Cedar Rd on April 13.

Fined $600, he lost his licence for six months but received a restricted licence for work only.

Branden Scott Gill, 43, from Nathan, was fined $750 and disqualified for four months after he pleaded guilty to drink driving (.137) at Boonah on April 2. He told police he drank eight beers while out camping for Easter and was driving to buy more beer. "A stupid, stupid decision. The consequences have already affected my family," Gill said in court.

Magistrate Virginia Sturgess told him that "for a man of your age with prior convictions you should well be aware of the consequences".

Leighlan Charles Masso, 22, from Riverview, pleaded guilty to driving under the influence (.151); and driving when SPER suspended at Goodna on April 21. Masso was fined $1100 and disqualified for nine months. Police prosecutor Sgt Jo Colston said police went to a single-vehicle crash at 2.10am on an Ipswich Motorway on-ramp and found a damaged car and a light pole in the middle of the road.

Matthew Michael Moore, 22, from One Mile, pleaded guilty to drug driving when on a probationary licence at Augustine Heights on March 9 and driving on March 10 at Yamanto when under a 24-hour suspension. Prosecutor Sergeant Jo Colston said marijuana was detected in his system and his licence was suspended for 24 hours. But Moore was caught driving at 9.20am the next day, saying that he was going home from work. Magistrate Donna MacCallum noted that he had a prior drug driving offence in October last year. Moore was disqualified for nine months and fined $500.

Russell Eric Carfantan, 30, of Riverview, pleaded guilty to drug driving at Riverview on February 26. Police prosecutor Bronson Ballard said methylamphetamine and cannabis was detected in his system although he had denied recent drug use. "It's not something I do all the time," Carfantan told the court. "I was at a party on that weekend." He was disqualified for one month and fined $350.

Mark John Ball, 50, from Augustine Heights, was fined $350 and lost his licence for one month after pleading guilty to drink driving at 10.20pm in Springfield Lakes on April 21.

Saecharn Te-Aroha Staples, 22, from Bundamba, pleaded guilty to drink driving on April Fools day on the River Road.

"I know what I done putting others at risk. I accept it," she told the court. Staples said she had been on her provisional licence for two years. Police said she gave an alcohol reading of .079 on April 1. As a provisional driver there is a zero- alcohol limit, Magistrate Virginia Sturgess reminded her. Staples was fined $350 and disqualified for three months.