List of Mackay drink-drivers and drug-driver who pleaded guilty in court
The decision to drive while impaired can be a costly one, as these seven people found out in court. SEE THE LIST.
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The decision to drive while impaired can be a costly one, as these seven people found out in court.
Sebastian Alexandre Farlow
A 19-year-old council worker was caught when he decided to drink and drive without a licence.
Mackay Magistrates Court heard police spotted Sebastian Alexandre Farlow turning into Turtle Place in Blacks Beach on October 29 when they pulled him over for an RBT.
Farlow returned a BAC of 0.046, but police found the council worker had previously had his licence suspended because of demerit points and was driving unlicensed at the time.
While speaking to Farlow, police noticed a black backpack in the back seat of the car containing a water pipe and 6.1 grams of marijuana.
Farlow pleaded guilty on November 22 to drink-driving, driving without a licence and possession of marijuana and a water pipe.
Magistrate Damien Dwyer sentenced Farlow to a drug diversion program.
He was fined $1200 and disqualified from driving for three months.
No conviction was recorded.
Tristram James Brotherton
A Mount Pleasant man was riding a motorbike when he was caught with a BAC of 0.083 on Bedford Rd in Andergrove about midnight on October 29.
Tristram James Brotherton pleaded guilty in Mackay Magistrates Court on November 22 to drink-driving.
The 40 year old told the court he accepted responsibility for his actions.
Magistrate Damien Dwyer disqualified Brotherton from driving for nine months.
He was fined $500, and no conviction was recorded.
Amber Sarah Annette O’Donnell
An Ipswich woman who recently made the move to Mackay couldn’t escape her hometown driving mistake.
Amber Sarah Annette O’Donnell was caught drink-driving on September 27 in Riverview.
Mackay Magistrates Court heard the woman was pulled over in Riverview where she recorded a BAC of 0.186.
She pleaded guilty on November 23 to drink-driving.
O’Donnell told the court she was sorry and it “was not something she ever intended on doing again”.
Magistrate Damien Dwyer said he accepted O’Donnell’s statement and noted her good history.
But he also took into account the fact her reading was “three and half times the limit”.
O’Donnell was disqualified from driving for 10 months and fined $1200.
No conviction was recorded.
Garry Andrew Whitelaw
A New South Wales man was caught driving over the limit and with an expired licence that had been suspended nearly a full decade ago.
Police spotted Garry Andrew Whitelaw on Bedford Rd in Andergrove on October 23 at 3.15pm
Police found that the 36 year old’s Queensland licence had expired in 2012 and he claimed he had been using his New South Wales one.
Whitelaw said he had been stuck in Queensland because of Covid-19 and had not realised his New South Wales licence had expired in April.
Whitelaw blew a BAC of 0.08.
He pleaded guilty in Mackay Magistrates Court on November 22 to drink-driving and driving without a licence.
Magistrate Damien fined Whitelaw $750 and he was disqualified from driving for three months.
No convictions were recorded.
Peter John Foxwell
A 32-year-old Bucasia man said he had drunk “five cans of XXXX Gold” in less than 90 minutes when police pulled him over in Beaconsfield on October 20.
Peter John Foxwell was driving from Eimeo when he was breathalysed on Bedford Rd at 6.50pm, returning a BAC of 0.134.
Magistrate Damien Dwyer asked the 32 year old what happened.
“It’s not often I get a fellow at your age with such a good history, and you’ve hit a six,” Mr Dwyer said.
Foxwell told the court he had made a “silly choice”.
“It was a stormy day, I thought I’d have some beers and made a silly choice to drive into town,” Foxwell said.
Foxwell was disqualified from driving for six months and fined $750.
No conviction was recorded.
Drug-driver
Marshall Damien Dempsey
A brickies’ labourer came to police attention after he and another driver collided on Nebo Rd on September 1 at 6.50pm.
Mackay Magistrates Court heard Marshall Damien Dempsey’s drivers licence was already suspended when police found him at the scene where he had been riding an unregistered motorbike with number plates belonging to a different vehicle.
The 25 year old was taken to hospital where his blood sample showed a “cocktail of five drugs” including methamphetamine.
The West Mackay labourer told the court he was surprised at the number of drugs in the test.
He pleaded guilty on November 22 to driving unlicensed, drug-driving, driving a vehicle with number plates belonging to another vehicle and driving an uninsured and unregistered vehicle.
Magistrate Damien Dwyer suspended Dempsey’s licence for six months.
He was fined $1500 and a conviction was recorded.
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