Wade Bellamy sentenced in Coffs court for sixth drink driving offence
A 46-year-old Coffs Harbour man struggled with police after he was caught drink driving for the sixth time.
Police & Courts
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A repeat Coffs Coast drink driver who put up a fight with police after being caught for a sixth time has narrowly avoided jail.
Wade Robert Bellamy, 46, was sentenced in Coffs Harbour Local Court this week on a string of traffic offences including two counts of driving while disqualified, high range drink driving, refusing a breath test and resisting police.
The court heard that Bellamy was pulled over in February for a random breath test when officers discovered his licence was disqualified.
Bellamy abused police and struggled with officers when they tried to arrest him.
He was eventually handcuffed and taken to Coffs Harbour Police Station where he refused a breath analysis.
Officers then took him to Coffs Harbour hospital for a blood sample, which returned a reading of .196, nearly four times the legal limit.
Bellamy was caught driving again in July while his licence was disqualified.
He was breath tested and returned a reading below the low range.
Magistrate Ian Rodgers said the February offence was the sixth drink driving matter on Bellamy’s lengthy traffic rap sheet.
He said Bellamy had previously served prison sentences for his crimes, but noted he had recently taken “significant” steps to rehabilitate himself, having performed “extremely well” at rehab centre Adele House over the past three months.
Because of this, Mr Rodgers said Bellamy’s recovery from addiction would be hindered by a full time jail sentence and instead placed him on an intensive correction order on the condition he continued to receive treatment at Adele House.
For the two counts of driving while disqualified, high range drink driving and refusing a breath test, he was convicted and given a 14-month intensive correction order.
His licence was disqualified for nine months and he was given a mandatory interlock period of four years.
For the charge of resisting police, Bellamy was convicted and given a community correction order for six months.
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