A booze fuelled joy ride in a side by side buggy has sent a North Queensland man to jail

A booze fuelled joy ride on a side by side buggy has landed a North Queensland man in prison

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A NORTH QUEENSLAND man has been jailed after he sped through a regional town while almost four times the legal limit on a side-by-side buggy, evading police before crashing.

Jake Edward Thomas Lavery, 25, was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment after he fronted the Townsville Magistrates Court on March 30, 2021, charged with eight offences.

He pleaded guilty to four offences - dangerously operating a vehicle, evading police, driving unregistered and driving uninsured.

Four charges were dropped after the prosecution offered no evidence.

Police prosecutor Anita Page said police attempted to stop Lavery multiple times speeding through Charters Towers on August 20, 2020.

Ms Page said police came within 15 metres of Lavery who was “believed to be doing 100 km hr in a 50 zone” before he “vered left and traversed onto land” when police attempted to park in front.

The court was told police caught up to the father-of-two after the buggy crashed down an embankment and into a tree stump.

“Police approached the defendant and saw a female passenger was also unrestrained,” Ms Page said.

Jake Edward Thomas Lavery drove a side by side buggy through Charters Towers while drunk.

A certificate of analysis showed Lavery was severely intoxicated, recording a blood alcohol reading of 0.189.

Defence lawyer Richard Scholl said his client had stable employment at an underground mine near Charters Towers which would be threatened if he was sent to prison.

Mr Scholl said Lavery was “excessively using alcohol” when he decided to go for a ride in the buggy after being mentally affected by the death of a friend.

Mr Scholl told the court the former William Ross High student had “taken significant steps” to reduce the quantity of alcohol he now consumed.

Magistrate Viviana Keegan said Lavery’s offending was “very serious” adding “other road users were at risk”.

Magistrate Keegan took into account Lavery’s “terrible traffic history” in sentencing.

For dangerously operating a vehicle, Lavery was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, with eligible parole release after two months in addition to being disqualified from holding a licence for six months.

For evading police, he was sentenced to 50 days imprisonment served concurrently and disqualified from holding a licence for a further two years.

Lavery was convicted but not further punished for driving unregistered and uninsured.

Convictions were recorded.

Originally published as A booze fuelled joy ride in a side by side buggy has sent a North Queensland man to jail