Elijah Rea pleads guilty to high range drink driving in Coffs Harbour court

A P-plate driver was seen swerving on the road and later blew over three times the limit. See how the matter was dealt with in Coffs Harbour court.

A young P-plate driver who was seen swerving on the road, blew just over three times the legal limit.

Elijah Rea was in Coffs Harbour Local Court on Monday, May 9, where he plead guilty to High Range drink driving on April 10.

His lawyer John Hennessy said Rea, 20, made the “unfortunate” decision to drive and had passengers in the car at the time and “understands the serious nature” of the charge.

Mr Hennessy told the court his client had always worked since leaving school and was previously employed as a trainee painter but recently underwent surgery to his back.

While spending two weeks in bed recovering he was notified via text message that he was fired, Mr Hennessy told the court.

Not long afterwards he gained employment as a trainee roof tiler and his current employer has agreed to keep him on, “as long as he is reliable” Mr Hennessy told the court.

It was also heard that around the time, Rea had suffered the loss of a close relative.

Magistrate Ian Rodgers told the court his reading of 0.167 was “three times the legal limit let alone what Mr Rea could have in his system given he was on his Ps”.

Mr Rodgers told the court it was Rea’s first charge for drink driving.

Rea was convicted and fined $900 and disqualified from driving for six months. He will then will be eligible to apply for a 24-month interlock licence.