Drink driver who blew .292 walks from court with corrections order
A Frankston North drunk driver has been described by a magistrate as “every road user’s nightmare” for getting behind the wheel while so intoxicated after boozing at The Sands hotel that he could hardly stand. But he managed to walk from court.
South East
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A six-times-over boozer who had been booted from a pub for being drunk then got behind the wheel, crashed into other cars and fled the scene.
James Taylor was so sozzled that bouncers had kicked him out of a Carrum Downs hotel earlier that night.
Then the Frankston North 47-year-old decided he should drive home, but didn’t get very far before coming to a smashing stop.
He pleaded guilty to drink-driving, driving disqualified, failing to stop after an accident and being drunk in public charges at Frankston Magistrates’ Court earlier this week.
The court heard at about 9.30pm on January 19 this year Taylor was ejected from The Sands due to his intoxicated state.
He got in his sister’s car and drove off straight through the car park and along the street before hitting a car waiting at red lights.
That vehicle was pushed into another car, but Taylor just drove away over a nature strip before parking up in a side street.
Police officers saw him walking down the road and he ran off, but they caught him as he tried to hide in a front garden.
He smelt heavily of intoxicating liquor, had severe difficulty standing and, with no choice but to come clean as he still had the car keys in his pocket, admitted he was the driver.
Back at the police station he blew .292.
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In court his defence lawyer said Taylor, a plasterer by trade, had a significant problem with alcohol and had unfortunately relapsed that day.
He said since then he had sought medical treatment, and was hoping to move to Western Australia in the near future.
The court heard he was a disqualified driver at the time and also has a prior, recording .256 on a previous occasion.
Magistrate Vicky Prapas said Taylor had showed complete contempt for the court and the community.
“He was .292, nearly .3, hit other cars and then absconded,” Ms Prapas said.
“I have a real problem (with Taylor), he is every road user’s nightmare.”
He was given a 12-month community corrections order, must do 200 hours of unpaid work and attend alcohol counselling. He was also banned from driving for five years.