Michael Higgens: St Georges Basin man charged with high range drink driving

A man has been busted drink driving on the NSW south coast, swerving and speeding over double lines, before blowing nearly four times the legal limit.

Paul Higgins blew .193 – nearly four times the legal limit.

“Yeah mate, I won’t pass that one” were the words of a drunk driver to police after he was busted speeding and swerving over double lines, following a boozy Christmas party on the NSW south coast.

The incident saw Michael Higgens, 35, wind up in Nowra Local Court on Tuesday charged with high range drink driving.

The St Georges Basin man previously pleaded guilty to the charge.

Documents tendered to the court reveal Higgens drank multiple beers at a friend’s Christmas party in Nowra on the evening of December 7 last year, before he made the “poor decision” to get behind the wheel of his Subaru Impreza.

Agreed facts state Higgens was travelling at “fast speeds” in a northerly direction along The Wool Rd, Worrowing Heights, when a highway patrol car travelling behind the drunk man observed him constantly and quickly slowing down before swerving over double lines.

The manoeuvres “significantly concerned” the officers, who activated warning lights, pulling Higgens to the side of the road.

Upon approaching the driver’s window, officers “immediately smelt a very strong smell of intoxicating liquor, saw [Higgens] eyes to be glassy and viewed him to be in a very cheerful mood”.

Michael Higgins leaving Nowra Local Court.

Police then informed the 35-year-old he would be subjected to a breath test, before he informed them he would not pass.

“I’m pretty pissed,” he told police.

Agreed facts also reveal he informed the officer’s his last drink was only 30 minutes before he began driving.

A breath test was completed, returning a positive reading of .193 – nearly four times over the legal limit.

Higgens was arrested and taken to the Bay and Basin Police Station, where a second test returned the same result.

The drunk driver was charged, had his licence suspended and given a court attendance notice.

In court on Tuesday, Higgens’ lawyer Bret Ford said his client agreed it was a poor decision to drive so soon after drinking.

“He was at a Christmas party having fun and he usually doesn’t drink,” he said.

However, Magistrate Lisa Viney said there was never an excuse to drive while drunk.

“You blew .193, you were swerving over the lines while driving and you posed a great risk to yourself and the community,” she said.

“You’ve admitted it was a mistake, but this is quite a significant reading.”

Higgens was convicted, sentenced to a 12 month supervised community corrections order, had his licence disqualified for six months [backdated to his initial licence suspension at the time of the offence] and ordered to complete 50 hours of community service.

The 35-year-old man was also ordered to have an interlock device installed into his vehicle for two years upon the return of his licence.

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