Geoffrey Manu Jean-Louis Aroca caught drink driving in Noosa

A French man who manages a restaurant at Noosa has been fined and banned from driving after being busted on the roads having downed “several schooners”.

Geoffrey Manu Jean-Louis Aroca at Noosa Magistrates Court on Tuesday, March 21, 2023.

The manager of a Noosa restaurant has been caught drink driving on a motorcycle in Noosa Heads after downing “several schooners of beer”.

Geoffrey Manu Jean-Louis Aroca, 26, pleaded guilty to one charge of mid range drink driving at Noosa Magistrates Court on Tuesday, March 21, 2023.

Police Prosecutor Allison Johnstone told the court Aroca was stopped by police at 12.07am on February 28, 2023 on Berrima Row where he was blew .128 and had his licence immediately suspended.

Lawyer Mark Gregory said Aroca came from France in 2019 and had obtained a Queensland driver’s licence.

“He had a very busy Christmas period managing that restaurant and works every night past midnight,” Mr Gregory said.

“And after this very extended and busy period of running this restaurant he has consumed alcohol, been in high spirits and made the foolish decision to drive.”

Mr Gregory told the court Aroca lived at Sunshine Beach and worked in a restaurant in Noosa, where he said public transport was “basically non existent in that area” after midnight.

“So he is going to have the cost of either public transport or riding a push bike late at night to and from his work during any period of suspension,” Mr Gregory said.

He described Aroca as a “polite and courteous young man” which he said “could be gleaned from his full disclosure to the police officers on that evening”.

“He likes Australia and is in the process of applying for citizenship and a visa to stay here and he is particularly worried if this on his history as to the assessment for a fit and proper person as part of his illegibility to come to Australia and he has requested no conviction be recorded as it is the first offence of this nature,” Mr Gregory said.

Magistrate Raelene Ellis said his offence “was around the middle of that in terms of seriousness” and noted two previous entries on his history for speeding.

“I take into account the facts as outlined by the solicitor on your behalf, the impact it would have on your employment, given the nature of the work you do and the unavailability of public transport at the time that you finish work,” Ms Ellis said.

Aroca was fined $550.

He was disqualified from driving for three months.

No conviction was recorded.