Matthew Brooks, 39, sentenced for drink driving

A southwest Sydney customer service worker initially offered police a bizarre excuse when he was caught drink driving, a court has heard.

Matthew Brooks, 39, was convicted of low range drink driving at Campbelltown Local Court.

A customer service worker charged with drink driving initially claimed his positive breath test was because he had a “mouthful” of cough syrup, a court has heard.

Matthew Brooks, 39, pleaded guilty to low range drink driving at Campbelltown Local Court on Tuesday after returning an alcohol reading of 0.056, after police stopped him for a random breath test around 10am on Eagle Vale Dr in Eagle Vale on March 31.

Brooks’ lawyer told Magistrate Susan McGowan that Brooks was a “high functioning alcoholic” who found himself in a very “sad” situation in which he felt the need to “self-medicate” during the absence of a mental health professional he had been seeing that had gone on maternity leave.

“His life has somewhat spiralled with his alcohol abuse,” the solicitor told the court.

Matthew Brooks, 39, was convicted of low range drink driving at Campbelltown Local Court.

She said due to his licence suspension, Brooks had fallen under significant strain in getting to and from work, taking him “two hours by bus” to get home every evening.

She requested for his suspension period to be shortened in consideration of those factors and highlighted his efforts to see a new doctor for his alcoholism, as well as his attendance in support group meetings with other men suffering with alcohol dependency.

When Brooks was questioned by police during his breath test, he initially claimed he had not consumed any alcohol and had only drank cough syrup.

When asked how much cough syrup, he stated “I don’t measure it. I had a mouth full.”

Ms McGowan was unimpressed with the cough syrup explanation, which she referred to as a “load of nonsense” and said Brooks’ lack of responsibility over his actions could have gotten someone killed.

“He told police he had cough syrup … doesn’t seem like he was acknowledging that he has a problem,” Ms McGowan said.

Brooks was convicted and fined $400 and had his licence disqualified for three months backdated to his initial suspension in March.