Damon Laverick caught drink driving, speeding after Nana Glen party

His big night came back to haunt him when he was stopped for speeding in a notorious crash zone. When police pulled him over, his movements were sluggish and he appeared nervous.

Speeding near a well-known crash black spot west of Coffs Harbour was the first thing that drew police attention to Damon Anthony Laverick.

The 25-year-old was returning to Sapphire Beach on December 28, last year, having been at a birthday party at a Nana Glen property the night before.

Coffs Harbour Local Court heard Laverick had celebrated through the night but had a few hours of sleep from 11am until 2.30pm and something to eat before getting in the car.

He came across police on Bucca Road in a well known black spot for crashes - a fact highlighted in court by police prosecutor Dave Sams.

When they pulled him over, his movements were observed to be sluggish and he appeared nervous, Magistrate Paul McMahon told the court.

“He was unable to follow instructions and became cocky and anxious and uncooperative,” Mr McMahon said as he read from the police facts.

Laverick pleaded guilty on Tuesday to driving with a mid range concentration of alcohol.

The court heard he had been studying an audio engineering course at Byron Bay before Covid intervened and he had returned home to Coffs Harbour to live at the time of the incident.

Laverick has held a licence for nine years and the court heard his traffic record “isn’t great” with one matter from 2014, but no prior drink driving offences.

He was convicted and fined $750 for driving with middle range concentration of alcohol - first offence.

He was disqualified from driving for three months and must hold an interlock driver’s licence for the minimum period of three months.