Aydan Corrie: Pleads guilty to high-range drink driving, destroying community notice board
‘You were a long way over the limit’: No one was hurt, but a wild night out in Gove has proven costly for a man who has lost his job, his house and now $15k.
A Nhulunbuy man has been forced to cough up more than $15k for wiping out a community notice board while driving high-range.
Aydan Corrie was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, damaging property, failing to report a crash and driving with a high range blood-alcohol content following a wild night out at the Walkabout Tavern in Gove.
Agreed facts state Corrie was in a highly drunken state when he stumbled to his car, got behind the wheel and drove off into the night.
While cruising through town, Corrie lost control of the car and careered into a community notice board.
He then walked from the scene.
Police eventually found Corrie who fessed up to being the driver.
He would go on to record a blood-alcohol reading of .2.
Meanwhile, the community notice board sustained so much damage that it needed to be removed.
On Monday morning, Corrie appeared at Darwin Local Court where he pleaded guilty to all charges through his lawyer - Patrick McNally.
Mr McNally asked Judge Jonathan Bortoli not to record convictions against his client on the basis that it would significantly impact his work prospects and, by extension, his family.
He said Corrie came before the court as man of “good character” and someone who was taking responsibility for his actions.
The court heard the drunken night out had already severely impacted Corrie, who had lost his job over the matter, as well as his house which was provided through his former employer.
As such, his partner returned to work until Corrie could find a new job.
Further, Corrie is an ADF reservist and due to the charges hanging over his head, is expected to be issued a notice to show cause for involuntary separation, the court heard.
“What this means for the defendant is that, as a consequence of merely being charged, (the ADF rely on) whatever outcome this court imposes,” Mr McNally said.
“He loses the only consistent employment that he has and that Your Honour... I don’t think I need to go into it but that would be disastrous - calamitous - for this man.”
The prosecution acknowledged the dilemma.
“It is accepted that clearly there will be difficulties if the defendant does receive a conviction,” they said.
“(However) the prosecution would argue (that) there is a general deterrence factor that must be taken.”
Judge Bortoli gave the matter 30 minutes of his time before making a decision.
“This isn’t a case where you were random breath tested or slightly over the limit,” he told Corrie.
“You were a long way over the limit and clearly not capable of controlling the motor vehicle.”
He was convicted on all accounts and handed a $2000 fine, as well as four victims levies to the amount of $868.
For taking out the sign, he was ordered to pay $12,915.
Finally, he was disqualified from driving for 12 months.
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Originally published as Aydan Corrie: Pleads guilty to high-range drink driving, destroying community notice board
