Cooper Bottams faces Tweed court after crashing into pole while drink driving at Tweed Heads

A cruise ship dancer has been forced to front a Tweed court after a destructive drink driving crash in the town. Here’s how he fared.

Cooper Bottams faced Tweed Heads Local Court after drink driving and smashing into a light pole leaving parts of the town without power.

A cruise ship dancer mounted a median strip and took out a light pole, cutting power to a police station, after a “very poor decision” to drink drive in the Tweed.

Cooper Bottams, 20, faced Tweed Heads Local Court on December 19.

He pleaded guilty to driving with middle range PCA – first offence.

Bottams was driving on Wharf St at Tweed Heads when he mounted the median strip and collided with a light pole at Tweed Heads early in the morning of November 24.

The vehicle and the pole were both extensively damaged and Essential Energy was required to remove and replace the pole.

Essential Energy workers were called after the crash, which took out a light pole and cut power to parts of Tweed Heads, including the police station. File image. Picture: Tim Jarrett

Police arrived and Bottams blew 0.167 on an initial breath test.

The crash cut power to Tweed Heads Police Station, so Bottams had to be taken to Kingscliff Police Station for a follow up test.

Bottams returned a reading of 0.141 several hours later, court documents state.

The professional dancer told police he had consumed four glasses of wine late the previous night and had only eaten dip, chips and berries.

Tweed Shire Council has not sought compensation for the light pole due to insurance issues, police facts state.

The defence told the court drink driving was not something Bottams would normally do and said he made “a very poor decision”.

Magistrate Geoff Dunlevy said most drink drivers were randomly detected by authorities.

“You stand out by comparison,” he said.

Bottams works as a dancer on cruise ships, the court was told.

“It’s the type of matter (that) if you had a criminal record the court would consider a term of imprisonment.”

Mr Dunley took into account Bottams was “still a relatively young and inexperienced driver”.

He said it appeared Bottams was remorseful.

“You have good prospects for rehabilitation … but I need to impose a sentence that is more serious” Mr Dunlevy said.

Bottams was placed on a community corrections order for two years and fined $1000.