Binalong man Joshua Eric Doak pleads guilty to high range drink driving in Yass

It took two minutes for police to come across a plumber north of Canberra who was almost four times the alcohol limit while driving his mates home, after they helped him build his new home.

Joshua Eric Doak faced Queanbeyan Local Court on Monday after pleading guilty to drink driving.

A well-known Capital region plumber has expressed his shame after being caught drink driving on cocaine after a booze up with workmates.

Binalong small business owner and charity volunteer Joshua Eric Doak was charged after he drove while almost four times the legal blood alcohol limit on October 8 last year.

In Queanbeyan Local Court on Monday, he was sentenced to a two year community correction order after pleading guilty to high range drink driving with an illicit drug in his system.

Agreed facts say the 29-year-old was driving his red Chevrolet Silverado ute down Yass Valley Way in Yass about 2.55am when he was selected for a roadside breath test.

Police say two other men were in the vehicle at the time and Doak told officers he drank three or four beers before driving.

Joshua Eric Doak.

He blew a positive alcohol reading roadside and was taken to Yass Police Station where he returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.193.

Doak also tested positive for cocaine, but told police at the time he had “never used it”.

Defence lawyer Allara Freedman said the plumbing business owner and father of five was “highly regarded” in his community and was known for his “excellent personal and professional character”.

Joshua Eric Doak.

The court heard he often fundraised and volunteered at local charity events and coached his children’s sports teams.

Ms Freedman said the Binalong man was working on building his new home when two mates came over with a slab of beer during the afternoon prior.

She said Doak also took cocaine, though said he was not usually a party person due to his busy working schedule, and did not feel its effects.

After several hours he said he would give his mates a lift home but only drove for two minutes before he was pulled over.

Ms Freedman said Doak was extremely remorseful and expressed shame for his actions, and experienced “incredible difficulty” for several months managing without a licence.

She said he had been pinned drink driving when he was 20 years old but was a “different man” to back then.

Magistrate Roger Clisdell said statistically it was “even more likely” for a crash to occur on a short journey compared to a long one, and the fact passengers were involved meant the incident could have been “catastrophic”.

A conviction was recorded.