Proserpine Magistrates Court files for Whitsundays’ drink drivers

An Airlie Beach electrician close to four times the blood alcohol limit and a 24-year-old who crashed his car after being almost three times the limit were among those appearing in court for drink driving. FULL COVERAGE

A young man close to four times over the alcohol limit, to another man who had been trapped in his car, after a car incident while drink-driving, here are this weeks’ stories of our region’s drink and drug drivers.

An Airlie Beach electrician close to four times the blood alcohol limit and a 24-year-old who crashed his car after being almost three times the limit were among those appearing in court for drink driving.

Conviction recorded

Alexander William Taylor, 49

Alexander William Taylor had some beers to help him get to sleep.

A Jubilee Pocket local, who told a court he drank some beers to get himself to sleep, was caught driving over two times the blood alcohol limit while on an expired licence.

Alexander William Taylor, 49, had been drinking in the afternoon and was caught with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.124 at around 2am when he was on his way to work on October 22.

PD Law solicitor Terry Gray said Taylor had been drinking four or five beers in the afternoon and had another two beers later on to help him get to sleep as his way to deal with an obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Mr Gray said Taylor had “miscalculated” when he would be in a good state to drive.

Taylor pleaded guilty to drink driving without a licence in front of the Proserpine Magistrate Court.

He was fined $500 and his licence was disqualified for three months.

Convictions were recorded.

D’Arcy David Witherspoon, 24

D’Arcy David Witherspoon crashed his vehicle after 1am.

A 24-year-old was caught almost three times over the blood alcohol limit after he was involved in a single vehicle crash.

D’Arcy David Witherspoon was found by emergency services and police officers after he crashed his Black 2000 Mitsubishi Express in Mount Marlow shortly after 1am on August 17.

Prosecutor Lachlan Perry said the car had “overturned on the driver’s side of the vehicle” and he had been trapped.

His blood alcohol concentration at the time of the incident was 0.148.

PD Law solicitor Terry Gray said Witherspoon had been injured in the incident and that his van had been extensively damaged.

He also told the court this was out of character as Witherspoon had a very limited traffic history.

Magistrate Michelle Howard told Witherspoon he was “extremely lucky” no one was seriously injured.

“I’m told you recognise how lucky you are,” Ms Howard said.

Witherspoon pleaded guilty to drink driving in front of the Proserpine Magistrates Court.

He was fined $800 and his licence was disqualified for eight months.

The conviction was recorded.

Mathew James Gorton, 45

Mathew James Gorton was caught with meth in his system.

A trailer driver was caught with methamphetamine in his system on August 23.

Mathew James Gorton, 45, pleaded guilty in front of the Proserpine Magistrates Court to drug driving at 12:10pm in Gunyarra, south of Proserpine.

Magistrate Michelle Howard granted him a work licence as his traffic history was limited.

Gorton was fined $350 and his licence was disqualified for two months.

The conviction was recorded.

Dylan James Rostron

Dylan James Rostron was caught driving after being disqualified.

Dylan James Rostron was caught drink driving after being disqualified from driving by a court order.

Proserpine Magistrates Court heard Rostron had been disqualified from driving in Hervey Bay court on March 21 this year and had once again been caught drink driving on October 28 in Cannonvale.

Prosecutor Lachlan Perry said his blood alcohol concentration was 0.04 on that day.

Magistrate Michelle Howard urged Rostron to make use of the supervision he could get from the probation period he is already serving regarding other matters.

Rostron pleaded guilty to drink driving while unlicensed and to driving while disqualified by a court order in front of the Proserpine Magistrates Court.

He was fined $1200 and his licence was disqualified for a total period of two years and nine months.

Convictions were recorded.

Jonathon Gregory Walker

Jonathon Gregory Walker had a reading of 0.096 on a probationary licence.

Jonathan Gregory Walker was caught drink driving while on a probationary licence on October 28.

Prosecutor Lachlan Perry said Walker had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.096 after he was arrested on Shute Harbour Rd in Cannonvale for a roadside breath test.

Mr Perry reminded the court that Swanson was on a probationary licence, which has a zero alcohol limit requirement after he was convicted of another drink driving offence earlier this year.

Walker, who was self-representing, told Ms Howard he had an alcohol problem and had been to a number of sessions to try to deal with his addiction.

“I still have (alcohol) on the weekend, but not every day,” he told Ms Howard.

Howard pleaded guilty to drink driving while on a probationary licence in front of the Proserpine Magistrates Court.

He was fined $800 and his licence was disqualified for five months.

Conviction not recorded:

Andy Robert Jarvis

Andy Robert Jarvis was granted a work licence.

A Whitsundays apprentice mechanic was caught drink driving on a blood alcohol concentration of 0.075 on September 27.

Andy Robert Jarvis, who pleaded guilty to the charge in front of the Proserpine Magistrates Court, had told police he drank at the Reef Gateway Motel prior to getting behind the wheel at approximately 10:08pm in Cannonvale.

As Jarvis had no previous traffic history, Magistrate Michelle Howard accepted his application for a work licence so he could keep going to his job, with the condition that he would “wear his Auto Electrics uniform when driving”.

He was fined $350 and his licence was disqualified for two months.

No conviction was recorded.

Tye Wilson Swanson, 24

Tye Wilson Swanson told police he had about 15 drinks that night.

An Airlie Beach electrician was close to four times the blood alcohol limit when he was arrested for drink driving at Jubilee Pocket.

Prosecutor Lachlan Perry said Tye Wilson Swanson had told police he had about 15 drinks that night and his blood alcohol concentration was 0.181.

McCrossan and Amiet Lawyers solicitor Steven Hayles told the court “everyone went out for drinks” that night and Swanson had followed along.

Mr Hayles asked Magistrate Michelle Howard not to record an offence as Mr Swanson had no prior history of the sort and was only 24.

“He’s so embarrassed for his actions,” Mr Hayles said.

Magistrate Michelle Howard told Swanson this was a “very high reading”.

“I would usually record an offence of this nature,” she told Swanson.

Ms Howard decided not to record a conviction as she was satisfied it was out of character for him.

Swanson pleaded guilty to driving under the influence.

He was fined $1000 and his licence was disqualified for six months.