The Snitch: Judge Garry Neilson sees red over standard wine drink sizes

A District Court judge has expressed his opinion about the size of standard drinks these days during a drink-driving court case, describing the sizes of some drinks served as “bird baths”.

Who says judges aren’t in touch with the concerns of the common man? Come on down, District Court Judge, Garry Neilson.

Judge Neilson gets the nod after he made a recent comment in court relating to the measurement size of standard drinks these days.

Judge Neilson made the observation during the appeal case of Byron Bay man Andrew Warren Simmons, who was picked up for mid-range PCA when he blew 0.108 after a few glasses of red at a dinner party.

Mr Simmons told the court he had three glasses and thought he would be OK, which brings us to Judge Neilson’s hot take.

“Usually, three standard glasses of wine will put a person at the 0.05 level,” Judge Neilson told the court.

“One glass of wine per hour thereafter will maintain a person at that level. Given the facts, it would appear that the appellant had probably consumed a bottle of red wine.

“However, a standard glass of red wine can be described as almost thimble size and wine these days is generally served in what could be described as bird baths. Such makes it very difficult to count standard drinks.”

Judge Garry Neilson has given his take on standard drink sizes during a court case. Picture: Supplied

Now we’re not sure if Judge Neilson was illustrating how difficult it is for people to do the maths and then drive safely after having a few, or if he was blowing up about the deplorably small serving sizes of alcohol these days.

We’ll give him the benefit of the doubt that it was both.

But it’s a fair observations either way and probably points to the fact that punters should just not drive if they’ve had more than one drink.

The comments mark a return to form for Judge Neilson, who has previously attracted controversy with his musings in court.

In 2014, he was cleared by an investigation after he let his internal monologue run a bit wild and told a court that just as the community once found homosexuality taboo, the same might occur with incestuous relationships in future years.

Given his recent effort, you’d have to admit he’s improving.

LOCAL DEDICATION

Still on the topic of booze, and another recent case showed one person’s dedication to their local to a level that we have never seen before.

The case was before the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal and involved a person who can be only known as EJH.

EJH was thrown out of the inner city pub Bar Broadway and banned from coming back for six months by the NSW Liquor and Gaming Authority.

Most people would get offended by such a notion and take their business to another watering hole.

But EJH went full Erin Brockovich and launched a legal battle in an attempt to be allowed to re-enter to Bar Broadway immediately.

EJH stated in their application to the tribunal: “The Banning Order was made against me after I was thrown out of my local bar (Bar Broadway) where I have been an excellent customer for more than five years. The Licensee has continuously made false allegations against me (which have been dismissed)…”

The matter landed in NCAT this week but, unfortunately for EJH, the case did not get off the ground.

Principle member Britton ruled that NCAT does not have the legal jurisdiction to overturn the ban and dismissed the case.

Manly NRL star Manase Fainu. Picture: AAP/Joel Carrett

NOT LOOKING AT THE MANASE IN THE MIRROR

Rugby league players love taking the piss out of their fellow players when they are pictured in The Daily Telegraph as the centrepiece of a scandalous story.

Like Manly Sea Eagles hooker Manase Fainu who this week tagged Josh Ado Carr in a picture of the Melbourne winger on the front page of the DT in a story about NRL players celebrating scoring tries by using their hands to form gang signs.

Fainu also embedded a song by Hooligan Hefts in the post, a rap group which was mentioned in the story.

We love a bit of rugby league larrikinism. But someone might want to remind Fainu that he has his own trial coming up for allegedly stabbing someone. He’s pleaded not guilty and will fight the charges.