Full list: The drink drivers sentenced in Maroochydore Magistrates Court
A business owner’s 300-day sobriety streak and a psychology student’s hit-and-run crash feature among shocking drink driving cases heard at Maroochydore court.
From threats to client meetings, these are the excuses drink drivers told Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Tuesday, December 9.
Motorists were sentenced by Magistrate Raelene Ellis.
See the full list below:
No convictions
Brandt Dallas Reid
Business owner Brandt Dallas Reid was caught high-range drink driving with a reading almost three-and-a-half times over the legal limit.
Reid was pulled over for an RBT on Thursday, November 13, while driving his Ford Ranger in Alexandra Headland.
He was represented by his lawyer, Samuel Bolton, as he pleaded guilty to high-range drink driving.
The court heard he had been sober for more than 300 days when he relapsed while drinking with a client.
The 52-year-old returned a reading of .167 at 4.15pm on November 13.
His lawyer told the court he owned a rural commodities brokerage business and travels across Australia and internationally.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Leonie Scott said he was driving a short distance between a local pub and his house in Maroochydore when he was intercepted.
He was fined $1500 and disqualified for six months.
No conviction was recorded.
Convictions
Benjamin John Robinson
A car crash in Kuluin landed 22-year-old Benjamin John Robinson in hot water after his Subaru Liberty collided with another car.
The court heard Robinson crashed into the car on the Sunshine Mwy about 6pm on Monday, November 17, and was taken for breath analysis.
He returned a blood alcohol reading of .178 — over three-and-a-half times the legal limit.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Leonie Scott described the incident as a hit-and-run, and said Robinson was confused when he was intercepted.
“He was not aware he had been in a traffic crash,” she said.
He was intercepted by police shortly after the crash on Tasol St, Bli Bli.
His car was missing its front bumper and had three deflated tyres.
He was represented by his lawyer, Chelsea Emery, as he pleaded guilty to high-range drink driving and failing to provide relevant details to the other driver.
The court heard he was with a woman whom he was seeing at the time, and her uncle had been threatening them hours earlier.
Police prosecutor Leonie Scott said Robinson admitted to drinking four cans of premixed drinks between 4pm and 5pm that afternoon to deal with the “stress”.
His lawyer told the court he was studying psychology at the University of the Sunshine Coast while working at Coles.
The court heard he had written an apology letter to the woman involved, and he later paid her $4000 for her car repair and hire.
He was fined $1000 and disqualified for nine months.
A conviction was recorded.
Matthew Kevin Jackson
Wholesale manager Matthew Kevin Jackson self-represented as he pleaded guilty to driving over the general alcohol limit.
On Wednesday, November 12 Jackson was pulled over for an RBT at Alexandra Headland and returned a blood alcohol reading of .092.
Police prosecutor Leonie Scott said the Cotton Tree Meats worker was “unsteady” and had “slurred speech” when police intercepted him.
The court heard the 41-year-old had signed an affidavit saying that he had a “clean traffic record” for “all of his adult life.”
Magistrate Ellis said he lied on the document.
“You have one previous drink driving offence in 2013,” she said.
“You signed an affidavit that said you’ve had no traffic history.
“You provided an incorrect statement.”
He was fined $600 and disqualified for three months.
A conviction was recorded.
Igor Luiz Martins
Maroochydore man Igor Luiz Martins crashed his van into a box truck in Mermaid Waters after falling asleep at the wheel.
The 27-year-old crashed his car on Sunday, June 22, requiring multiple emergency services to respond.
He was self-represented as he pleaded guilty to driving over the general alcohol limit and driving while a drug was present.
Police prosecutor Leonie Scott told the court he had a “cocktail of drugs in his system” as well as alcohol when he fell asleep.
His van was described as “heavily damaged”.
He was taken to hospital and later returned a blood alcohol reading result of .091 — almost two times the legal limit.
He was fined $700 and disqualified for four months.
A conviction was recorded.
