Angus Templeton: Nowra rugby player and cop’s son charged with mid range drink driving

A police officer’s son and Shoalhaven rugby player has told a court of his embarrassment of letting down his parents after being busted drink driving.

A police officer's son, Angus Templeton drove his car while intoxicated.

“I’m embarrassed and ashamed” were the words of a police officer’s son busted drink driving following a night on the beers.

The incident saw Angus Templeton, 20, face Nowra Local Court on Tuesday to be sentenced on a charge of mid range drink driving. He had previously pleaded guilty to the charge.

Police documents tendered to the court reveal the Shoalhaven Rugby Club player decided to get behind the wheel of his Toyota HiLux and drive home from a mate’s house after downing “numerous” beers in the early hours of July 16.

After drinking alcohol between 6pm and 1am, Templeton began travelling along Plunkett St, Nowra, before turning onto the Princes Hwy, where his worn out back right tyre sprayed sparks and smoke into the air.

Little did the Nowra footy player know, a police car was only 100m behind him travelling in the same direction.

The "embarrassing" offence saw Angus Templeton convicted, fined and with no licence.

“Police activated warning lights and indicated for [Templeton] to stop the vehicle,” agreed facts state.

Approaching the car, police informed the drunk Templeton they had stopped him for a random breath test and to inspect the condition of the back tyre.

The breath test produced a positive reading of .108 which saw Templeton arrested and taken to Nowra police station where he was charged for mid range drink driving.

In court on Tuesday, the self-represented Templeton read a letter he wrote to Magistrate Lisa Viney, asking for forgiveness.

“I’ve let my parents down, including my father who is here today and who has been a police officer for 20 years,” he said.

In the letter, Templeton also asked Ms Viney to reduce the licence suspension in favour of community service and asked for the sentencing to include a non conviction, given it was his first offence.

However, Ms Viney did not agree with the request for no conviction.

“This reading is too high for a non conviction,” she said. “There are always consequences for your actions.”

When sentencing however, Ms Viney did acknowledge the young man was “otherwise of good character” and noted the references spoke “very highly of you”.

Templeton was convicted, fined $650, had his licence suspended for three months and was ordered to have an interlock device installed in his car for 12 months once his licence returns.