Kyle West: Wellington concreter sentenced for drink driving

A magistrate has issued a stern warning to a concreter from the NSW western region after he was caught drink driving – for the second time – over a short distance he could have easily walked.

Kyle West, 42, was sentenced at Wellington Local Court for drink driving in January 2023.

A concreter from an esteemed family in the NSW western region who has been caught high range drink driving for the third time has been issued a stern warning from a magistrate.

Kyle West, 42, pleaded guilty to high range drink driving after he was arrested and charged in October 2022.

Agreed police facts tendered to Wellington Local Court reveal West was pulled over for a random breath test at 4pm on Pierce St in Wellington when he returned a positive reading for alcohol.

A subsequent breath analysis returned a result of 0.157 – more than three times the legal blood alcohol limit.

“The accused informed police he had consumed about four or five XXXX Gold beers before driving his vehicle,” the facts state.

A criminal history tendered to the court revealed West had previously been convicted, fined $1900 and disqualified for 12 months for high range drink driving in 2014.

He was also sentenced to a 12-month conditional release order without conviction in February 2019 for special range drink driving.

At Wellington Local Court, his solicitor Ms Sathar told the court West was on his way to the shops four blocks away to buy bread when he was pulled over.

“He thought he was alright, he obviously was not,” Ms Sathar said.

The court heard West’s parents are esteemed members of the Wellington community, with his father working for 16 years as an Aboriginal liaison officer with local police and as a mentor at Wellington Correctional Centre for 12 years.

His mother is an experienced educator at Wellington Christian College and now at a local public school.

Wellington Local Court. Picture: Google Maps

Magistrate Emma Manea had stern words for West as she convicted him, fined him $1200 and disqualified him from driving for 12 months.

“The fact you could not be bothered to walk four blocks is so reckless it almost aggravates this matter,” Ms Manea told West.

“It’s absurd that you would make such a reckless decision to put others’ lives at risk, including people like your parents – they sound like absolute legends, and you’re lucky to have these types of parents.”

The court heard West has his own concreting business and has been relying on family to drive him around since his licence was arrested on the day he was charged.

“You’ve made a mistake, you’ve made a mistake before, and if you come back again you will go to jail,” Ms Manea warned.

In a letter to the court, West emphasised his remorse and desire to make better choices in the future.

“I’m a hard working, honest, reliable man and any hard work I’ve done to become a better person I feel I have now undone due to this regrettable mistake I have made,” West wrote.

“I’m aware my record isn’t the best and I try hard every day not to become another statistic of another Indigenous person to be incarcerated again.”