NSW’s shocking drink driving stats as 100 offenders who boozed behind the wheel are named
NSW police detected thousands of drink drivers including a teacher, former sport stars, musicians, a police officer, and a Porsche driver. See who was busted.
Police & Courts
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Law enforcement detected thousands of drivers who had been drinking before getting in the car, new data has revealed.
The latest research from NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research shows that more than 14,000 drink drivers were detected by police in the 12 months until September 2022.
Officers detected 4808 low-range drink driving offenders, 6573 in the mid-range category and 2882 in the high-range.
The number of incidents recorded for all three types of PCA driving offences increased over the most recent 12 month period compared to the previous period.
Low and mid-range drink driving incidents have trended downwards over five years, but high-range incidents have remained stable over the same period.
Despite drink-driving offences carrying a maximum of two years jail for a second offence and nine months for a first offence – just 99 people were jailed for the offence in 2021, according to data from BOCSAR.
Here is part one of a list naming 100 people who have fronted court for driving under the influence of alcohol in the last 18 months. Read part two of the list here.
MYLES CONRAD-LINDER: GRAFTON
A truck driver who sank four shots of “experimental” homemade vodka of an “excessively high” alcohol concentration has been convicted after blowing a whopping 0.226 blood alcohol reading.
Myles Conrad Lindner was convicted of high-range drink driving at Maclean Local Court in September 2022.
LISA ALEXANDER: SYDNEY
An eastern suburbs woman who crashed her Mercedes into multiple parked cars following a boozy lunch with other school mothers made a tearful court appearance when she was sentenced for mid-range drink-driving.
Bellevue Hill woman Lisa Alexander was charged with mid-range drink driving after a crash which took out a box trailer, an Audi, a Lexus and a Toyota Yaris parked on a ritzy Vaucluse street.
She was convicted, fined $1000 and disqualified from driving for three months.
EILIDH MACKENZIE-HUNTER: SYDNEY
An eastern suburbs teeth whitening and tooth gem professional was still under the influence from a boozy event the night before when she was caught drink driving on Christmas Day, a court heard.
After a plea of guilty, Eilidh Mackenzie-Hunter was spared a conviction and instead sentenced to a 12-month conditional release order to be of good behaviour.
OLIVIA WATHEN: CRONULLA
A rising real estate agent faced court for the second time in a year after she was busted drink driving while on a bond for possessing cocaine.
Olivia Wathen was charged with mid-range drink driving on February 25 this year after police noticed she was driving on the wrong side of a median strip on Gerrale St in Cronulla.
The magistrate took no action on the drug possession conditional release order breach but convicted Wathen for the drink driving, disqualified her licence for three months and fined her $600.
RYAN LORD: SUTHERLAND
A southern Sydney builder was caught drink driving at more than twice the legal limit the morning after a night of drinking with friends during a golf weekend away.
Ryan Lord was convicted and disqualified for three months and fined $450.
BRYAN BAZ: SYDNEY
A Sydney interior designer was busted drink driving at a whopping seven times the legal blood alcohol limit only weeks before he was caught again at more than three times the limit.
Bryan Baz was charged with high-range drink driving on January 15, 2022 and again on February 9 with two eye-wateringly high readings.
Baz narrowly avoided full-time imprisonment, and was convicted of both charges receiving a 12-month intensive corrections order and a two-year community corrections order.
EMILY MCCARTHY: SUTHERLAND
A Beauty and the Geek contestant who was convicted of drink driving at more than three times the legal limit expressed her remorse in a public statement.
Emily McCarthy was charged with high-range drink driving on November 7, 2021 after she blew a whopping 0.168 in a roadside breath test. She was convicted and fined $500.
“I deeply regret my decision and take full responsibility for my actions,” McCarthy said at the time.
LUIZA CRISSIUMA PEDROSA: BYRON BAY
A drunk driver who blew more than three times the legal limit after crashing into two cars and fleeing in Byron Bay was trying to get a pie in town, a court heard.
Luisa Crissiuma Pedrosa pleaded guilty to high-range drink driving and not giving her details after a crash in Byron Bay.
She was convicted of high-range drink driving, not giving details after a crash and driving while suspended and sentenced to a 12-month community corrections order.
UGUR NEDIM: SURRY HILLS
A senior lawyer and repeat drink driver caught driving his Porsche over a median strip by police failed in his appeal against a court’s emphatic punishment.
Sydney Criminal Lawyers’ principal Ugur Nedim, 48, was charged with high-range drink driving after he was caught at more than three times the legal limit in Surry Hills.
He was convicted and sentenced to a one-year community corrections order, a $1500 fine, and a nine-month driving disqualification with a two-year interlock period to follow.
PATRICIA HADJIA: SYDNEY
A glamorous Instagram influencer who narrowly avoided prison after a drink driving rampage saw her crash into multiple cars begged a court to lighten her community service hours.
Patricia Hadjia was behind the wheel of a Jeep Grand Cherokee when it crashed into three cars and rolled onto its side about 9.50pm on Duncan St in Maroubra on October 16.
The 28-year-old, known to her 38,000 Instagram followers as “Torpedo Trish”, was convicted and ordered to complete 400 hours of community service after she confessed to high-range drink-driving.
After an appeal, the community service hours order was dropped from 400 to 250. The conviction remains on her record.
ANTHONY PAVIC: PENRITH
A drunk electrician was eight times the legal blood alcohol limit when he crashed into a bus just after midday in western Sydney.
Anthony Pavic, 40, of St Marys pleaded guilty to high-range drink driving where it was revealed the heavy drinking was triggered by Pavic losing his job the day before.
Magistrate Stephen Corry said “it’s a miracle he’s alive” after hearing Pavic’s blood alcohol reading of .419, then convicted and sentenced him to an eight month intensive corrections order to be served in the community.
LACHLAN CRITTLE: SOUTH COAST
A former real estate agent got behind the wheel of his Ford Ranger after drinking at the Berry Hotel, sideswiped a police car and kept on driving.
Lachlan Crittle pleaded guilty to high-range drink driving and failing to give particulars to another driver after a crash.
He was convicted and sentenced to a 12-month community corrections order, fined $1000 and disqualified from driving for seven months.
GARETH CHARLES DUNLOP: PICTON
A father-of-two has escaped jail time after he crashed into a power pole on the way to work on a Monday morning, blowing more than five times the legal limit.
Gareth Charles Dunlop was convicted and sentenced to a nine-month intensive corrections order to be served in the community.
MATTHEW YAGER: COFFS HARBOUR
A 39-year-old, seriously injured in a smash, limped into Coffs Harbour court to face sentencing on high-range drink driving telling the court, “I have no recollection of going back to the car and driving”.
Matthew George Yager was trapped in his car after the accident on Toormina Rd and spent four weeks in hospital recovering from his injuries, the court heard.
He was convicted of high-range drinking and given a nine-month sentence to be served by way of an intensive community corrections order and was disqualified from driving.
JAMES LEWIS: TWEED HEADS
A cricket club volunteer told a court he had gone sober after he was caught drink driving more than four times the legal limit.
James Joseph Lewis pleaded guilty to high-range drink driving after he was stopped for a random breath test on Tweed Coast Rd, Pottsville.
Lewis was convicted and sentenced to a two-year community correction order and disqualified for the minimum driving and interlock periods.
CRUZ WILLIAMS: PICTON
A learner driver who was drink-driving then tailgated a stranger and threw beer cans at the car while the victim was on the phone to police.
Cruz Williams was convicted and sentenced to a 12 month community corrections order, fined $950, and also disqualified for 12 months. A charge of being an unaccompanied learner driver was dismissed.
DARREN EDWARD SMITH: ILLAWARRA
A 49-year-old man blew more than twice the legal alcohol limit on Christmas morning when he was pulled over by police in the Illawarra.
Darren Edward Smith was convicted of the charge of driving with a mid range PCA and with an illicit drug in his system.
HOSEA NIYOMWUNGERE: PARRAMATTA
A man who ran a red light and knocked down four people before leaving the scene to buy Guzman Y Gomez was so “dishevelled” he failed to keep his trousers up when returning to the crash.
Hosea Niyomwungere pleaded guilty to failing to stop and assist after injury, not giving particulars to injured person and driving a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.
He was convicted and sentenced to a 15-month intensive corrections order.
JOHN MANGOS: MANLY
Veteran newsreader, journalist and broadcaster John Mangos was convicted of drink-driving after police nabbed him behind the wheel double the limit.
Mangos was fined $850 and disqualified from driving for four months.
KATHRYN BAKER: MANLY
A woman was five times over the limit when she crashed into cars stopped at traffic lights, after drinking a bottle of vodka.
Kathryn Michelle Baker pleaded guilty to one count of high-range drink driving (second offence) and was convicted and placed on an intensive corrections order for 18 months.
NICHOLAS JONES: KIAMA
A triple-0 police dispatch operator has avoided a penalty after blowing more than three times over the legal limit in a school zone earlier this year.
Nicholas Jones pleaded guilty to driving with a high-range PCA in Kiama Local Court last year after he told police he’d knocked back three quarters of a bottle of bourbon.
The magistrate convicted Jones with no further penalty and suspended his licence for six months backdated to the day of the offence – the minimum suspension for the offence.
CRYSTELL LANE: SOUTH COAST
A mother of two with an “appalling traffic record” and a “complete disregard for public safety” copped a massive fine for her eye-watering speeding on the South Coast.
Crystell Lane was convicted and slapped with a $1500 fine after she got behind the wheel under the influence of alcohol and in wet conditions to buy another dress in the middle of a wedding due to a wardrobe malfunction.
She appealed her suspension and it was reduced by half.
KYLE WEST: DUBBO
A concreter from an esteemed family in the NSW western region who has been caught high-range drink driving for the third time was issued a stern warning from a magistrate.
Kyle West copped the lecture after he was convicted, fined $1200 and disqualified from driving after he admitted to high-range drink driving.
“The fact you could not be bothered to walk four blocks is so reckless it almost aggravates this matter,” the magistrate told West.
JOHN STRATIGOS: SUTHERLAND
A young tradie narrowly avoided going to jail after he was caught driving while drunk for the second time.
John Nicholas Stratigos pleaded guilty in Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday to getting behind the wheel while more than three times the legal blood alcohol limit.
He was convicted and sentenced to a three-year community corrections order.
JOSHUA HAMMOUD: SYDNEY
A real estate agent’s night out with “the boys” ended terribly after he crashed a car into the back of a truck and lied to police about the cause of the accident.
Blakehurst man Joshua Hammoud, pleaded guilty to negligent driving, not giving particulars to the owner of damaged property, driving under the influence of alcohol and falsely representing an event to police.
He was convicted, fined and placed on a 12-month community corrections order.
RYAN BEESLEY: CAMDEN
A father-of-two who was caught drink-driving at five times the legal limit and nabbed a second time hours later was served a stinging rebuke by a local magistrate.
During sentencing, Magistrate Michael Stoddart asked what example Camden man Michael Beesley was setting to his children by drink-driving.
“When I look at it, they are damn lucky to still have a father,” he said.
Beesley was convicted and ordered to serve a nine-month ICO and a two-year community corrections order after pleading guilty to two counts of high-range drink-driving, two counts of driving while disqualified and breaking public health orders.
YOUNG DAD: PICTON
A young father who downed six cans of beer before riding a motorbike with his toddler was warned by the magistrate that a jail sentence could have been on the table.
The young man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in Picton court for sentence after pleading guilty to mid-range drink driving and riding a motorcycle while he was unlicensed.
He was convicted and sentenced to a community corrections order for eight months.
BAYLEE DONNA MASHMAN: CENTRAL COAST
A young woman was only about a kilometre from home when a rear number plate light, which was obscuring two letters, attracted the attention of police who pulled her over for a random breath test only to discover she was three times over the limit.
Baylee Donna Mashman, of Blue Bay, was sentenced at Wyong Local Court on Tuesday after she pleaded guilty to one count of high-range drink-driving.
She was convicted, disqualified for six months and fined $900.
ETHAN BROWN: DUBBO
A Dubbo sheep shearer was criticised by a magistrate who said he wasn’t “a stranger” to drink driving after the worker was caught yet again.
Ethan Brown pleaded guilty to mid-range drink driving and was convicted, disqualified from driving for six months and fined $1000.
KILEY ANN PALMER: MID NORTH COAST
A Laurieton nurse who wrote off her car while drink driving on a Saturday night was ordered to perform 100 hours of community service.
Kiley Ann Palmer was charged with high-range drink driving. She was convicted and sentenced to a two-year community corrections order.
SAMUEL DUCK: MID NORTH COAST
A suspended L-plater was drink driving in a borrowed car with three passengers on board when he lost control and smashed into a parked car.
For driving with a high-range concentration of alcohol, Samuel Christopher Duck was convicted and sentenced to a two-year community correction order and directed to perform 100 hours of community service and disqualified from driving for two years.
He was also convicted and fined $400 for negligent driving (no death or grievous bodily harm) and convicted and fined another $400 for driving a motor vehicle while his licence (learner licence) was suspended – first offence.
DYLAN CLARKE: PORT MACQUARIE
A Port Macquarie man thrown from his van and found “hostile and aggressive” by paramedics lying in a pool of blood with a broken pelvis was sentenced for negligent and drunk driving.
Dylan Robert Clarke faced Taree Local Court charged with negligent driving (not causing death or grievous bodily harm) and driving with a mid range concentration of alcohol.
He was convicted for both charges and ordered to serve a 12-month community corrections order.
BRIEANNA FINN: DUBBO
A Dubbo bartender who “had a bad night at work” swerved around police while sticking the middle finger up before being hit with multiple driving offences.
Brieanna Finn fronted Dubbo Local Court after she was charged with a range of driving offences including low-range drink driving and part of body outside window or door driver.
When questioned by police the 23-year-old was “remorseful and acknowledged her actions were silly”, saying she “had a bad night at work”.
Finn was convicted, fined $300 and handed a three month disqualification from driving.
KYLE WEIR: DUBBO
A Dubbo man was slurring his words and couldn’t keep his head still when speaking to police after he was caught drink driving.
Kyle Weir was convicted and fined $400 after pleading guilty to mid-range drink driving.
REECE HEANEY: DUBBO
A young Coonamble man who formerly attended a prestigious Sydney private school pleaded guilty to drink driving, telling police he consumed 15 Great Northern beers before driving.
Reece Heaney was convicted of mid-range drink driving and fined $800 with a 12 month interlock requirement and a minimum of three months disqualified from the roads.
ZAIDYN LEIGH TWEED: DUBBO
A teenager from SA’s southeast caught drink driving twice within a six hour period in NSW’s central west told police “this is funny”.
Zaidyn Leigh Tweed of Mount Gambier, pleaded guilty to mid-range and low-range drink driving and drive when visiting privileges were withdrawn.
He was convicted and fined $550 for the two drink driving offences and a further $200 for the other offence.
JETT LUNDHOLM: DUBBO
A young Dubbo man who drank 10 schooners of Carlton Dry before being stopped by police behind the wheel pleaded guilty to high-range drink driving.
Jett Edward Lundholm was fined $1000, and disqualified from driving for six months.
KANE BRETT KENIRY: DUBBO
A Dubbo man who didn’t learn his lesson returned to court and pleaded guilty to his second mid-range drink driving charge within just four months.
Kane Brett Keniry was convicted and suspended for three months.
BROCK COOPER DEVESON: DUBBO
A boozed-up young Dubbo tradie swerved “side to side” in front of police before being pulled over for a random breath test and blowing more than five times the legal limit.
Brock Cooper Deveson was convicted of high-range drink driving, fined $2400 and disqualified from driving for nine months.
LOLA TINKERBELL CARR: SYDNEY
An “inexperienced” P-plater from Little Bay caught drink driving on a suspended licence faced the wrath of a magistrate who was “appalled” by the young driver’s record.
Lola Tinkerbell Carr pleaded guilty to mid-range drink driving and driving a motor vehicle with a suspended licence, and the magistrate said “there is no way in God’s green earth” she would accept a non-conviction.
Carr was convicted of both offences, fined a total of $1060 and disqualified from driving for three months.
NELSON MACKENZIE: PORT MACQUARIE
A young father pleaded guilty to high-range drink driving after police saw him swerve across the road and mount a gutter.
Nelson Mackenzie was convicted and sentenced to a community corrections order for 12 months.
ALYSSA SPINKS: PORT MACQUARIE
A young Port Macquarie woman pleaded guilty to mid-range drink driving after she was pulled over by police with three passengers in the car.
Alyssa Spinks was convicted and fined $600.
MARK ROWE: PORT MACQUARIE
A Port Macquarie removalist was lucky to be alive – and out of jail – after he was caught behind the wheel while more than four times over the legal limit.
Mark Rowe pleaded guilty to driving with high-range PCA after drinking homemade moonshine.
Rowe was convicted and sentenced to a community correction order with supervision for two years, and 100 hours of community service.
NICOLE PIPER: PORT MACQUARIE
A Port Macquarie woman was lucky she didn’t injure or kill someone before police caught her drunk behind the wheel in the early hours of the morning, a magistrate warned.
Nicole Piper pleaded guilty in Port Macquarie Local Court to driving while under the influence of alcohol.
Piper was convicted and sentenced to a supervised community correction order for a period of 12 months, including supervision and 50 hours of community service.
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