Drink driving: Aspiring lawyer nabbed in Glen Iris

AN ASPIRING lawyer nabbed by police for drink driving has escaped conviction after arguing he didn’t know the vodka drinks he downed before getting behind the wheel were alcoholic.

AN ASPIRING lawyer nabbed by police for drink driving has escaped conviction after arguing he didn’t know the vodka drinks he downed before getting behind the wheel were alcoholic.

Bartender Darcy Moran was on a strict licence condition not to drink and drive when he was pulled over by a booze bus for a routine breath test on High St, Glen Iris, in May.

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Fronting the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on September 27, Moran stuck by his statement to police that his drinks probably contained vodka but he didn’t realise they were alcoholic.

But Magistrate Ross Maxted slammed his explanation as “contradictory”.

Police prosecutor Mark Saracino said Moran drank the drinks 48 minutes apart and told police they were prepared for him by his manager following his shift.

Senior Constable Saracino said Moran lost his licence in 2014 for drink driving, but regained it a year later on the condition he maintain a zero blood alcohol limit.

He recorded a blood-alcohol level of 0.02.

Moran did not have to face court for the earlier offence.

He submitted a letter from his manager claiming responsibility for the drinks, but Mr Maxted told Moran it was his responsibility to know whether he had been drinking.

“What’s going on that you can’t keep to zero blood alcohol?” Mr Maxted said.

“(As a bartender) your knowledge of alcohol would be extraordinarily sophisticated, so how could you not know what you were drinking?”

Moran pleaded guilty to drink driving, but asked the court not to record a conviction because he said he planned to study law and was worried it may hamper his future job prospects.

Mr Maxted granted his request for a non-conviction but fined him $750.

He also cancelled Moran’s licence and disqualified him from driving for one year.

“This is your first time in court, I’m satisfied that it will probably be your last if this is a genuine error, as you alleged,” Mr Maxted said.

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