Grant Frederick Cotten jailed for high range drink driving in Grafton
A Grafton drink driver told police he was behind the wheel without an alcohol interlock device because he couldn’t afford to fit out a fourth vehicle.
Police & Courts
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A Grafton man with a history of high range drink driving who has been busted again says he was driving without an interlock device because he could not afford to fit out a fourth vehicle.
Grant Frederick Cotten, 32, faced Tweed Heads Local Court on January 16.
He pleaded guilty to driving with a high-range alcohol reading of 0.164 and not complying with interlock licence conditions.
The Alcohol Interlock Program is a court-ordered requirement for some drink driving offenders in NSW. They are linked to vehicle ignition systems and prevent anyone with alcohol in their system from driving.
The court heard Cotten, who has an extensive criminal history, was driving a Mazda station wagon along Bent St in South Grafton just before 1am on September 3, 2022 when he was stopped by police, who noticed his headlight was not working.
Police inspected Cotten’s licence and found he had to use an interlock, which was not linked to the car.
Cotten told them: “I don’t have one in this vehicle. I have three already fitted, and I own seven vehicles and don’t want to pay any more money.”
He was arrested and taken to Grafton Police Station, where he produced a high-range alcohol reading of 0.164 - more than three times the legal alcohol limit.
Cotten, who did not have a lawyer, said he regretted his decision to hop behind the wheel.
“I’m extremely remorseful of my actions,” he said.
“I changed my ways, working up to 80 hours a week with random drug and alcohol counselling every day”
Magistrate Geoff Dunlevy said the facts of the case were concerning and the court was considering jail-time.
“It does have to be observed you have intended to minimise your behaviour,” he said.
“You were a very significant risk to yourself and others.”
Mr Dunlevy noted Cotten was a holder of an interlock licence and was not allowed to have any alcohol in his system at all.
Cotten was sentenced in Grafton Local Court for high range drink driving and was sentenced to an intensive corrections order in 2021, the court heard.
“An intensive corrections order is serving a prison term in the community,” Mr Dunlevy said.
“You essentially received a prison term for a high-range PCA (prescribed concentration of alcohol).”
“We have reached the point where the court has to enforce a full-fledged prison sentence.”
Cotten was sentenced to 12 months in prison with a non-parole period of nine months.
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