Hamish Dowling: Double Bay landscaper caught riding drunk on moped in Rose Bay

A landscaper without a rider’s licence was caught riding a moped while drunk on the footpath in Sydney’s east.

Hamish Dowling speaking to his lawyer outside Waverley Local Court on Wednesday.

A landscaper caught riding his friend’s moped on the footpath while drunk has been told his “yahooing” could have “gone very wrong”, a court heard.

Hamish Angus Dowling, of Double Bay, appeared in Waverley Local Court on Wednesday, after pleading guilty to low range drink driving, unlicensed for class R, and drive on path.

Agreed facts reveal the 22-year-old man was drinking with friends at a house at Bellevue Hill on March 24 when he decided to ride his friend’s Piaggio motorcycle down the hill of Victoria Rd to where he was staying.

Police then spotted Dowling riding on the footpath and turning onto New South Head Rd, Rose Bay before he was stopped.

Dowling said he rode onto the footpath as he was “attempting to enter the driveway” of the motorcycle’s owner. Police checks confirmed the 22-year-old had never held a rider class licence.

Hamish Dowling was sentenced at Waverley Local Court on Wednesday.

Dowling returned a positive result to a breath test and he was taken to Waverley police station where he recorded a reading of 0.051.

He told police he drank one vodka coke and a beer before he rode the motorcycle down the hill to return it to a friend.

Agreed facts indicate Dowling said he rode on the footpath “because it was quicker than waiting for traffic lights”.

On Wednesday, Dowling’s lawyer said her client owned a landscaping business and had put his studies at UTS on hold.

She told the court it was actually a “moped” and he otherwise had obeyed by an interlock program he was subjected to after he was charged with mid-range drink driving in 2021.

The court heard Dowling had good prospects of rehabilitation and had been attending counselling sessions.

Despite saying the matter was “somewhat ridiculous”, Magistrate Ross Hudson said the reading was at the lower end.

He acknowledged Dowling had completed the traffic offenders program and had his previous drink driving charge dealt with by a non-conviction.

However, Magistrate Hudson said he must convict the 22-year-old while slapping him with a total fine of $2000 for the three charges.

Dowling was also disqualified from driving for one month and must hold an interlock licence for 12 months.

“Alright sir, ridiculous … what could have been from your perspective a bit of yahooing or having a bit of fun on someone’s scooter could have gone very wrong, very quickly,” Magistrate Hudson said. “Here you have to consider … yes it might be fun … but what’s the risk to others.”