Billy Hayburn: Nowra footy coach and player slammed for dangerous drink driving

A senior South Coast rugby player and juniors’ coach has put it all on the line after pleading guilty to driving at more than 170km/h after a late-night drinking session with friends. Find out what happened in court.

A senior Nowra rugby player and juniors’ coach has been told by a South Coast magistrate it was a “miracle” no one was killed after he was nabbed by police speeding at more than 170km/h following a late-night drinking session with friends.

Billy Hayburn, 21, pleaded guilty at the Nowra Local Court on Tuesday to speeding at more than 45km/h over the speed and with a mid-range PCA after he was seen by South Coast police speeding on the Princes Hwy, near Falls Creek, about 2am on August 7.

“Police conducting stationary speed enforcement checked Hayburn’s vehicle at 177km/h,” according to agreed police documents.

“Officers stopped the vehicle and while speaking with Hayburn, noticed his breath smelt moderately of alcohol.”

Hayburn told police he had consumed 10 cans of Canadian Club Dry at a friend‘s house in Basin View since about 6pm, before getting behind the wheel of his Mazda BT50 ute. Breath analysis by police revealed Hayburn had a blood-alcohol content of 0.142, more than twice the limit.

Supplied Editorial Nowra Police Station. Picture: Google

Solicitor Brett Ford told Magistrate Lisa Viney during sentencing on Tuesday Hayburn understood he had no excuse to be driving so fast and was remorseful. Mr Ford further told the court Hayburn risked losing his job and his role as a juniors’ rugby coach should he lose his license.

For more than 15 years, Hayburn has played with the Berry Shoalhaven RFLC, according to a letter from the club’s president, Joesph Roger.

In the letter, which was tendered as a character reference to court, Mr Roger said Hayburn was one of the team’s senior players and in recent years had undertaken coaching of the team’s under-12’s squad. A task which was quite taxing for a man his age, according to Mr Roger.

Ms Viney acknowledged Hayburn had volunteered as a coach with the club and risked losing his employment with Southern Gas and Civil with only a single traffic infringement on his record, but said his actions “could have cost the lives of others”.

“It was a miracle no one was killed, including yourself,” Ms Lisa Viney said.

“You made an extremely poor decision to drive. Your speeding posed a significant risk to the community.”

Hayburn was convicted and fined $1750, and will be disqualified from driving for six months.

Once back on the road, he was have to undergo an interlock device for another 12-months.