Named: Drink drivers sentenced in Tweed Heads Local Court

One driver said he’d turned to alcohol after a work injury, while another was pulled over at a roadside test after drinking six or seven beers.

Drink drivers in Tweed Heads Local Court

Each week a number of people plead guilty to drink driving in Tweed Heads Local Court.

Here are some who were sentenced on Monday, June 21.

Johnny Robert Thompson, 46, pleaded guilty to mid range drink driving.

He was caught after a crash on Federal Drive, Federal, on May 7, 6.51pm.

He told police he’d drunk a long neck of pale ale at 1.30pm and three schooners at the Middle Pub in Mullumbimby then two to three stubbies later.

He returned a reading of 0.095.

Thompson claimed the victim was on the wrong side of the road, however the victim said the crash was due to him not dipping his high beams.

His lawyer John Weller told the court his client had sorted out compensation for the victim and had been seeing a GP to address underlying grief problems.

Thompson was spared a conviction and sentenced to a two year conditional release order with minimum driving disqualification and interlock conditions.

Brendan North pleaded guilty to drink driving.

Brendan John North was stopped on Dry Dock Road, Tweed Heads on May 29 at 2.02am for a breath test.

He told police he had drunk six Wild Turkey Rare and coke cans at home.

He returned a reading of 0.119.

Self represented, the 29-year-old said he had suffered a back injury at work and was using alcohol more since the injury.

He said he was “terribly disappointed” in himself for getting behind the wheel.

North was convicted and fined $700 and disqualified for the minimum driving and interlock periods.

Michael Keith Hughes was caught on May 22 at 4.55pm during a road side breath test on Chinderah Bay Road, Chinderah.

He returned a reading of 0.104 road side and an official reading of 0.090 at the police station.

Hughes admitted to drinking six or seven Tooheys Extra Dry beers between 2.30pm and 4.40pm and he had not eaten any food.

Self-represented Hughes, 57, said he’d “made a mistake”.

Hughes was convicted and sentenced to a two year community corrections order and disqualified for the minimum driving and interlock periods.

Ice William Pereira-Ryan pleaded guilty to drink driving.

Ice William Pereira-Ryan, 29, was stopped when police heard loud revving along Minjungbal Drive, Tweed Heads on May 21 at 7.55pm.

He stopped once he saw police before blowing 0.144 on a breath test.

He said he could not recall how many beers and pre-mix bourbons he had drunk.

Pereira-Ryan was convicted and fined $900 and disqualified for the minimum driving and interlock periods.

Erin Maree Hall, 26, tested positive for drink driving on Marine Parade, Kingscliff on May 15 at 12.20am.

She returned a reading of 0.085.

Said she drank two beers between 7pm and 11pm.

Her lawyer told the court her client worked between two shops in Tugun and Byron Bay and was relying on Uber to get to work.

She said on the day of the offence it was one year since Hall’s father’s death and she was “not in good frame of mind”.

She was convicted and fined $750, and disqualified for the minimum driving and interlock periods.

Matthew Buggy has been caught drink driving more than 5 times the legal limit.

Matthew James Buggy returned a reading of 0.263 when he was stopped on Cherry Street Ballina on April 16.

His lawyer told the court Buggy was moving a van parked in a loading zone at the time.

Buggy was convicted and sentenced to a nine month intensive corrections order with supervision and 100 hours community service.

Buggy was also disqualified for the minimum driving and interlock periods.