Harley Matthews, Beechworth: Drunk driver booted from Narooma hotel

A Beechworth tradie’s birthday celebrations were cut short when he was kicked out of his hotel and police later caught up with him.

Harley Matthews.

A night out went terribly wrong for a Beechworth partygoer after he was kicked out of his hotel and then busted drink driving.

Harley Matthews, 26, faced Albury Local Court on Monday, and pleaded guilty to high-range drink driving.

Court documents reveal police were alerted to a grey Toyota HiLux driving on the Princes Highway in Narooma after the truck sped off from Obriens Hotel with a loud gear change about 12.05am on February 27, 2021.

When the car pulled in at the BP service station, police pulled up beside it and saw there were three male passengers in the car as well as the driver — Matthews.

The court heard when Matthews got out of the vehicle police saw he was unsteady on his feet.

Matthews was taken to the police station where he recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.163.

Matthews admitted to consuming 10 Carlton Dry and Great Northern schooners between 1.30pm and 11.30pm on his birthday, February 26.

He told police he and his mates had been kicked out of the Bermagui Beach Hotel where they were staying, and intended to sleep on the beach before they headed out on a fishing charter the next day.

Matthews was supported in court by his mother.

His defence solicitor Mitchell Irwin said his client had some mental health issues which he had made progress on, and was working in house stumping.

“No one was hurt and no damage was done,” Mr Irwin said.

“He’s stopped drinking and he’s working.”

Magistrate Miranda Moody said Matthews’ offending was “really stupid”.

“He clearly shouldn’t have been anywhere near or in a vehicle,” Ms Moody said.

“He comes before the court with no prior history whatsoever, which is in his favour.”

Matthews was sentenced to a 12-month community corrections order with supervision and a condition that he complete the traffic offenders program.

He was disqualified from driving for six months and fined $1000.

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