Former velodrome cyclist Christian Back had his appeal granted for high range drink driving

He had a decorated career as a young cyclist on top of his game, but that all came crashing down when he quit the sport and turned to alcohol, more than 20 years later finding himself behind bars.

An Argenton man - once an Australian cycling champion - has told a court he “hit rock bottom” the day he slammed into the back of a learner driver at the traffic lights more than seven times over the limit.

Christian Petersen Back, 45, appeared at Newcastle District Court on Tuesday to appeal a sentence imposed in August of 13 months jail time, with a non-parole period of eight months, and a three year community corrections order (CCO) for high rage drink driving, an intimidation charge and contravening an apprehended violence order (AVO).

Generic picture of a cyclist. Istock.

The court heard of his decorated career as a velodrome cyclist, where he became an Australian cycling champion at 18, before he moved to Europe to become a professional in Holland.

He said he was “pegged” as a potential world champion but when he was approached and pressured into using performance enhancing drugs in the sport, he decided to end his career and retire at the age of 21.

“I felt ashamed, my tail between my legs, I was dubbed a waste of talent and I slipped into heavy depression,” Back said.

He then detailed a life of turning to alcohol and his mental health issues which exacerbated his drinking, where at times he tried to get help in rehabilitation, but would somehow always go back to the bottle.

The court heard the former Allambi Care youth worker had been caught drink driving on numerous occasions between 1995 and 2012, before the latest incident this year.

He was heavily intoxicated when he got behind the wheel of his vehicle and had a serious accident, where he slammed into the back of a learner driver stopped at the traffic lights.

He blew a reading of 0.363, more than seven times the legal limit.

Back appeared at Newcastle District Court on Tuesday. Supplied Amy Ziniak

“It’s shocking to me it happened, massive remorse, guilt and shame,” Back told Judge Roy Ellis.

“I have guilt, blame, regret, I never thought I’d be incarcerated in my life.”

Back said sobriety was now his number one priority and rehabilitation once he was released from custody.

“You were more than twice the high range, it takes a sustained effort to get to that level,” Judge Ellis directed at Back.

“At that level you couldn’t function and why you had no recollection of the crash.

“You have a clear lack of discipline.”

Back said on the day of the crash he had gone to the doctor to get a plan for his mental health and was diagnosed with chronic depression, assessed for bi-polar and was put on medication.

“It was so much to take onboard, the dark cloud had already started looming above. Easily the biggest regret of my whole life,” he said.

Judge Ellis quashed the sentence and reduced it to 10 months with a non-parole period of five months, which means he’ll be eligible for release on December 19.

He also reduced the CCO to two years, but the nine month driver suspension order stayed.

“There has to be a consequence,” Judge Ellis said.

“Fortunately nobody was hurt, but not as a result of good management that was for sure.

“You cannot afford to drink because it will be like somebody getting on a slippery pole.”