Liam John O’Leary-Whitney: Gold Coast doctor busted drink-driving after boozy house party
A doctor celebrating a mate’s 30th birthday has fallen foul of the law, with his “significant miscalculation” at Burleigh Waters set to cost him dearly. Here’s what happened in court.
Police & Courts
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A Gold Coast doctor has admitted a “significant miscalculation” after drink-driving home from a friend’s boozy 30th birthday celebrations.
Reedy Creek doctor Liam John O’Leary-Whitney, 29, appeared in Southport Magistrates Court on Friday, where he pleaded guilty to a charge of attempting to put in motion a vehicle while over the middle alcohol limit.
The court heard the offence occurred at a shopping centre on Christine Ave at Burleigh Waters at 1.20am on June 29.
Officers took up with the defendant, who was sitting in a Volkswagen in a carpark.
Dr O’Leary-Whitney produced a New South Wales driver’s licence, and subsequently returned a reading of 0.105 per cent blood-alcohol content, or more than double the legal limit.
Defence lawyer Jason Jacobson told the court his client had been drinking at a friend’s house party in celebration of a 30th birthday.
Mr Jacobson said the defendant had ceased drinking some hours prior to getting behind the wheel, but didn’t appreciate how strong the mixed drinks he was consuming were.
Dr O’Leary-Whitney was driving home, Mr Jacobson said, when he “pulled into the shopping centre wondering if he should be driving” – hence the nature of the charge, being an attempt to put a vehicle in motion.
“He accepts his significant miscalculation,” Mr Jacobson said.
“He ought to have been a bit more careful and called himself an Uber.”
Mr Jacobson added his client was ineligible for a work licence, having been yet to obtain a Queensland licence following his recent move from NSW.
This would cause difficulties, as the defendant worked between sites at Robina and Parkwood, the court heard.
This was Dr O’Leary-Whitney’s first offence of drink driving, and he had no criminal history.
Magistrate Deborah Mitchell told the court it was “clear” the defendant was a person of good character.
She fined him $600 and disqualified him from driving for three months.
No conviction was recorded.
According to health worker regulator AHPRA, Dr O’Leary-Whitney attended the University of Notre Dame Australia, where he achieved a Doctor of Medicine.
He has been registered as a medical practitioner since December 2023.
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