John Stratigos avoids jail for high-range drink-driving in Rockdale

A young man has been warned innocent people die when people drive while drunk. Find out why he narrowly avoided jail this time.

John Nicholas Stratigos, 27, appeared in Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday where he was sentenced for getting behind the wheel while being more than three times over the legal alcohol limit. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

A young tradie has narrowly avoided going to jail after he was caught driving while drunk for the second time.

John Nicholas Stratigos, 27, pleaded guilty in Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday to getting behind the wheel while more than three times the legal blood alcohol limit.

The court heard Stratigos was previously convicted and fined in February 2019 for the same offence of high-range drink driving.

Agreed facts tendered to court said Stratigos was driving a Mitsubishi Triton on Bryant Street at Rockdale about 2am on August 28 when he was stopped for a random breath test.

He returned a positive result, was arrested and taken to Kogarah Police Station where he blew a reading of 0.169.

He told officers he did not finish drinking until 10.30pm that night.

John Stratigos appeared in Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday.

Officers noted Stratigos’ eyes were bloodshot, he was unsteady when standing and had a smell of liquor around him, adding he was “well-affected” by alcohol.

Stratigos’ licence was suspended and confiscated before he was charged and issued with a notice to attend court.

On Tuesday, Magistrate Phillip Stewart said Stratigos’ driving record had not been “perfect” since the 2019 drink-driving charge, noting he had committed speeding and mobile phone offences.

He said the only reason Stratigos was not going into full-time custody was because there were no other aggravating factors that brought Stratigos to police attention the night of the incident.

Mr Stewart noted Stratigos had the support of his parents, who were in court to support him, and he would have rebuild their trust, adding he should not throw away his life because of decisions he made to drink and drive.

He said he had an obligation to protect the community, adding if Stratigos came back before the court he would likely go to jail because innocent people died when people drove while drunk.

“It would be a shame to see a young man in prison for drink-driving offences,” Mr Stewart said.

Stratigos was convicted and sentenced to a three-year community corrections order, fined $2200, must complete 200 hours of community service, be abstinent from alcohol and complete alcohol rehabilitation.

He will be prohibited from driving for nine months and must have an interlock device for four years once his licence is reinstated.