Warren Dutton in Coffs court for drink driving after Armidale night out

It was the 39-year-old’s fourth drink driving offence – this time on what the magistrate described as a “disastrous road at the best of times” let alone being well over double the limit.

It was the fourth time Warren Charles Dutton had been dealt with for drink driving when he fronted Coffs Harbour Local Court on Monday.

When stopped for a random breath test around 11.30pm on April 29 just outside of Armidale, the 39-year-old blew 0.132.

The court heard he told police “I got hammered before I left” a venue in Armidale, and not being familiar with the area, decided to drive home to Bonville where he lives with his parents.

Magistrate Ian Rodgers told the court the trip would have involved negotiating what is a “disastrous road at the best of times let alone when you are well over double the legal limit”.

Mr Rodgers said it was “everybody’s good luck in the community” that he got caught via a random stop before he could get too far into the two-hour journey down the perilous mountain road.

Dutton’s lawyer Kinlock Oliver told the court his client had not been able to resume work as an asbestos demolition worker since the incident and that he lives with his elderly parents who have become more reliant on him in recent years.

For driving with a middle range concentration of alcohol – second offence – Dutton was fined $1000 and disqualified from driving for six months after which he will be eligible to apply for a 24-month interlock licence.