NAMED: Full list of drink drivers in court in April
From being found passed out drooling behind the wheel to a 4L goon-fueled car flip, here are 12 drink-drivers who faced SEQ courts this April. FULL LIST
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From being found unconscious and drooling behind the wheel to dashing to KFC after drinking 4L of goon, here are some of greater Brisbane’s drink-drivers who were caught in action.
CONVICTIONS RECORDED
Luke Newbold
A Brisbane tradie has faced court after being woken by police behind the wheel of a car ‘disorientated, bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and drooling’.
Luke Newbold pleaded guilty in Pine Rivers Magistrates Court on April 27 to driving under the influence of alcohol, and failing to provide a specimen for testing.
The court heard that the 28-year-old was seen swerving along Anzac Avenue from Diamond Tavern at 11:13pm on February 4 when a member of the public called triple 000.
Police were told the silver ute was seen swerving into the side barrier on the road, before pulling over into the Kallangur Tavern car park.
When police came to search the vehicle they found the tradie unconscious.
“(The police) observed the man in a yellow work shirt, slumped over the steering wheel, holding a mobile phone, passed out and drooling,” the Police prosecutor said.
The court heard Newbold could not be woken from his state.
He was convicted and received nine months probation.
He is also required to take part and attend counselling programs to assist his alcohol issues.
Harley John Crawford
A Brisbane man has relived his miraculous escape from death after appearing in court for driving under the influence and flipping his car while suspended from driving.
Keperra resident, Harley John Crawford pleaded guilty in Pine Rivers Magistrate Court to drink driving with a disqualified licence on September 2.
The court heard the 21-year-old was driving home from a friends place on Bunyan Rd, when he lost control of the vehicle causing his car to become airborne and flipping several times before landing on its roof.
Mr Crawford escaped the crash with major injuries, including a dislocated ankle and damaged ribs, while the passenger was not injured.
The court heard Crawford had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.051 — just over the limit.
He was convicted, given a nine-month probation order and ordered to participate in mandatory drivers counselling.
Bradley Darryl Harvey
A Bracken Ridge man was caught drink driving after having several schooners of beer at a popular hotel in Kingaroy.
Bradley Darryl Harvey, 54, pleaded guilty in Pine Rivers Magistrate Court on April 7 charged with mid-range drink driving.
The court heard the 54-year-old was parked with his headlights when police saw him.
He complied with officers, making them aware of the six schooners of beer he had consumed prior.
He was taken back to the Kingaroy police station where he posted a breath blood alcohol reading of 0.121 per cent.
Harvey recieved a $500 fine and was suspended from holding a licence for three months.
Convictions were recorded.
Benjamin Gino Peter Allanson
An ‘out of control’ uni student faced court for his ‘drinking problem’, after getting behind the wheel while more than four times over the limit.
Benjamin Gino Peter Allanson, 21, pleaded guilty in Caboolture Magistrates Court on Friday April 22, 2022 to drink driving.
The Sunshine Coast University finance and economics student, from Wamuran, was driving in Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast March 20, 2022, when police pulled him over.
The court heard that at 11.40pm police noticed Allanson had bloodshot eyes and smelt of liquor.
Police conducted a random breath test and Allanson returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.212 – more than four times over the limit.
Allanson was fined $1200 and disqualified from driving for 11 months.
A conviction was recorded.
Connor Thomas Mackenzie
A young business owner has faced court this month after drunkenly crashing a dirt bike while joy-riding almost four times over the limit.
Ormeau man Connor Thomas Mackenzie, 23, pleaded guilty in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on April 5 to driving under the influence of liquor.
The court heard Mackenzie had been riding an unregistered trail bike on the road, performing burnouts in the rain.
He had not been wearing a helmet at the time of his crash and was left with “significant facial and skull injuries.”
He was taken to the hospital for treatment, and returned a blood alcohol concentration of 0.187 per cent.
Magistrate Clare Kelly said this was the third time he had been charged for this type of offence.
“It’s very distressing for me to see that such a young person as yourself with a lot to lose is still prepared to act this way,” she said.
“You’re very lucky you didn’t kill yourself on that occasion.”
He was fined $1500 and disqualified from driving for 12 months.
A conviction was recorded.
Aaron Jay Terry
A Cleveland dad who voluntarily stopped driving for five months after blowing twice the legal alcohol limit has faced court this month for his actions.
Aaron Jay Terry, 27, pleaded guilty in Cleveland Magistrates Court on April 26 to driving over the general alcohol limit but not over the middle alcohol limit.
A police prosecutor said Terry was pulled over for a roadside breath test early in the morning on November 22 last year on Hope Island Road in the Gold Coast suburb of Helensvale.
The court heard Terry’s blood alcohol level was 0.097 per cent.
Terry voluntarily banned himself from driving and made his pregnant wife drive him to work for five months, even though technically he was allowed back behind the wheel 24 hours after the incident.
Magistrate Deborah Vasta said she couldn’t quite understand why he inflicted a self-imposed driving ban.
“The flow-on effect has been that your poor pregnant partner had to get up and drive you to and from work, which I think has been a lot on her,” Ms Vasta said.
Terry was disqualified from driving for one month and fined $1000.
Convictions wererecorded.
Ryan Jake Denning
A Coomera man has faced court this month after his careless act of drunkenly driving on the wrong side of a busy motorway causing a truck to swerve.
Ryan Jake Denning, 22, pleaded guilty in Ipswich Magistrates Court on April 12 to three charges including, drink driving charges.
The court heard Denning was seen driving on the wrong side of the Logan Motorway at 150km/hr.
Police intercepted the 22-year-old walking down the side of the road at Goodna where his vehicle was found.
Magistrate David Shepherd commented on the seriousness of his actions on such a high traffic zone.
“(It’s) fortunate that no one was injured or killed,” Magistrate Shepherd said.
Denning’s lawyer said that he used alcohol as a self-medication for recent losses in his life.
He received nine months probation and was disqualified from obtaining a license for seven months.
He was convicted and also recieved a $1000 fine.
NO CONVICTIONS RECORDED
Waylon William Wood
A drink-driving Logan concreter, who crashed his car while over four times the limit, developed a ‘significant problem’ with booze a court heard.
Bethania father of two Waylon William Wood, 25, pleaded guilty in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on April 19 to nine charges, including driving under the influence of liquor, committing a public nuisance and stealing.
The court heard Wood crashed his car into a ditch in Buccan and recorded a 0.209 blood alcohol reading on August 7 last year.
Further police checks also revealed that Wood was driving unlicensed and his car was unregistered, uninsured and had a registration plate that didn’t belong to it.
The court heard Wood also pleaded guilty to public nuisance and stealing in 2021.
He was fined $1800 and disqualified from driving for eight months. He was also ordered to pay $446 in restitution to the victim.
No convictions were recorded for the offences of committing a public nuisance, breaching bail, stealing or using a restricted computer without consent.
Lisa Anne Cecilia Johnson
A Wynnum North woman faced court after 4L of goon caught up with her when she crashed her car onto a tree in the middle of a traffic island.
Appearing in Cleveland Magistrates Court on April 7 Lisa Anne Cecilia Johnson, 34, pleaded guilty to driving while under the influence of liquor (UIL) and driving unlicensed.
The 34-year-old woman was driving on a ‘KFC run’ when she had mistaken the accelerator pedal for the brakes.
The court heard police “found the vehicle stuck on top of a tree on a traffic island” at Grant St in Cleveland at around 5.50pm on January 21.
Johnson’s vehicle suffered major front end damage but it was her claim to police at the scene that shocked officers, the court was told.
“The defendant was trying to get the vehicle off the tree,” a police prosecutor said.
She had claimed to be driving 180km/h along Shore St, Cleveland which is a 70km/h zone.
Magistrate Deborah Vasta sentenced the defendant to 12 months’ probation and disqualified her from driving for seven months.
No conviction was recorded.
Lily Rhiannon Skelton
A Redhill woman with a background in law has been caught drink driving after drinking multiple tequilas with a friend.
Lily Rhiannon Skelton, 24, pleaded guilty in Pine Rivers Magistrate Court on April 6 after being charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.
Skelton was driving back from a friend’s house along Musgrave road when she was intercepted by police.
She returned a breath analysis of 0.075 per cent, which was over the middle alcohol range.
Skelton’s lawyer said the she was remorseful for her actions,
“She makes no excuses. She shows genuine insight and remorse,”she said.
“She thought she’d be under the limit”.
The Magistrate commented on the young paralegals prospects,
“I wish you well with your career, don’t give up on law just yet, particularly because you have honours”.
Skelton received a disqualification from driving for three months and a $500 fine.
No convictions were recorded.
Nicolette Barrett
A Jimboomba woman was busted driving while more than three times the legal alcohol limit after a birthday party.
Nicolette Barrett, 35, pleaded guilty in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Monday to driving under the influence of alcohol.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Donna Kay told the court Barrett was found by police stuck in her vehicle after “travelling into flood waters” in Belivah at 10.10pm on February 26.
Police conducted a breath test after she showed signs of slurred speech and smelt of alcohol and it returned a positive reading of 0.155 per cent.
She was fined $800 and disqualified from driving for six months.
No convictions recorded.
Connor Jones
A young P-plater driver has been caught by police after deciding to drive after too many beers.
Connor Jones, 23, pleaded guilty in Pine Rivers Magistrate Court today for driving whilst under the influence of alcohol.
The furniture store worker was driving on March 17 when he was intercepted by police officers.
The court heard Jones had consumed six stubbies of beer before making the unfortunate decision to drive just after 6pm.
He returned a breath alcohol reading of 0.122 per cent.
Jones’s lawyer told the court of his client’s regret.
“He is remorseful for his actions,” he said.
The 23-year-old was on a provisional licence at the time and was moved out of home.
He recieved a fine of $600 and was disqualified from driving for six months.
No conviction was recorded.
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