Garrett Goff pleads guilty to police pursuit while five times over alcohol limit in Ramsgate

An aircraft refueller has admitted he drove while five times over the alcohol limit when he refused to pull over and led police on a chase where he ran a red light in Sydney’s south.

Garrett Goff, 53, made an application to have his charges dismissed under the Mental Health Act, hoping he would be released from prison, at Sutherland Local Court on Thursday. Picture: Supplied

A father will spend Christmas behind bars after he unsuccessfully applied to have his charges of being five times over the alcohol limit during a police pursuit dealt with under mental health grounds.

Garrett Armando Goff, 53, made an application to have his charges dismissed under the Mental Health Act, hoping he would be released from prison, at Sutherland Local Court on Thursday.

Goff, who works as an aircraft refueller, pleaded guilty to a police pursuit, driving while licence cancelled and high-range drink driving.

Agreed facts tendered to court said the Kogarah father-of-two was driving a black Ford Ranger, with a passenger, on Rocky Point Rd in Ramsgate on October 20 shortly before 12am.

A police car was travelling behind him and noticed he was doing an inconsistent speed between 40-5okm/h and was swerving between lanes.

Goff will be sentenced in January.

Police activated warning lights to do a random breath test and Goff moved to a stop but when an officer got out of the car, Goff drove off.

Police followed close behind with warning lights activated before Goff turned into Garrigarang Ave.

Police continued to signal for him to pull over but he kept driving until he turned into a unit complex.

The officer attempted to get out of the car again but Goff continued driving and police initiated a pursuit.

Goff continued to drive on Philips Rd and as he approached an intersection of Rocky Point Rd, he went through a red light and drove through more streets before he stopped.

Golf was arrested and returned a positive roadside breath analysis before blowing a reading of 0.253, which is more than five times the legal alcohol limit.

Checks on his licence revealed it was cancelled, after he did not reapply to obtain his licence after it was disqualified.

In court, Goff gave evidence during his mental health application explaining he had been drinking at St George Motor Boat Club for four hours before he “foolishly decided to drive home”. He said there was “no excuse” and his decision was “absolute stupidity”.

The court heard Goff had a terrible driving history which dated back to 2006 when he was convicted of high range drink driving and also of dangerous driving in 2021.

Goff said “I turn to alcohol as a medicine to escape” his problems when there was a major event in his life which triggered him to binge drink.

He said in 2006 he was drinking after losing connection from his biological father, then in 2021 his marriage broke down and he lost his business. He said he was badly assaulted earlier this year and turned to alcohol to cope.

Goff told the court he had been sober for eight years before he relapsed. He said he quit drinking after he had lost friends and wanted to become sober for his children.

He said he wanted to do rehabilitation and complete relapse prevention work so “I never end up in this position again”.

Goff’s lawyer Jean Paul Khoury submitted the police facts did not indicate there was excessive speed during the pursuit, nor did he attempt to evade police and stopped of his own accord, claiming his client was “nervous”.

The court heard Goff had been diagnosed with severe alcohol abuse disorder and could attend an intensive rehabilitation program for treatment.

Mr Khoury submitted Goff “clearly had a toxic pattern of behaviour” where he turned to alcohol when life threw him a curveball.

He said there was a clear link between Goff’s driving, PTSD from the assault and alcohol abuse disorder.

Mr Khoury said custody had been very difficult for his client and he needed rehabilitation because he was now willing to accept help and had the support of his parents.

Magistrate Philip Stewart refused the mental health application noting the seriousness of the offence.

Mr Khoury submitted his client should be sentenced and released on an intensive correction order, given time he already served, but Mr Stewart noted he needed a further report before Goff will be sentenced on January 25.