Four months sentence for serial drink driver with terrible traffic history
A serial drink driver with an “appalling traffic history” has been sentenced to four months imprisonment after blowing almost double the legal limit.
Moreton
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A southeast Queensland man with a lengthy traffic history has narrowly escaped serving time behind bars after being caught drink driving for the sixth time.
Kris Andrew Johnstone appeared in Redcliffe Magistrates Court on September 21, charged with drink driving.
Johnstone was pulled over by police driving along Anzac Ave, Redcliffe at 10.55pm on June 22 this year. He recorded a breath alcohol concentration of 0.081 per cent.
The matter has been mentioned in Redcliffe Magistrates Court multiple times. Johnstone first told the court he planned to contest the charge and requested a full brief of evidence from police.
But on September 15, he pleaded guilty and the matter was adjourned for sentencing on September 21.
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Yesterday Johnstone asked if he could apply to vacate his plea as he had evidence to prove he didn’t do it.
Magistrate Mark Bucknall said the matter had been around for several months and there was no cause for him to remove the previous plea of guilty.
“You have six convictions for drink driving or drink driving related offences such as failing to supply a sample,” Magistrate Bucknall said.
“You were convicted of dangerous operation of a vehicle and sentenced to 18 months in 2008, you were sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for drink driving in 2011.”
Magistrate Bucknall said there had been a gap in offending between 2011 and 2019.
“You have an appalling traffic history and there needs to be a very firm message sent to you that you have reached the end of the line.”
Johnstone told the court he was “moving forward in life” and said it “won’t ever happen again”.
Magistrate Bucknall told him it had already happened “too many times”.
Johnstone was sentenced to four months imprisonment, suspended for two months and disqualified from driving for seven months.