Darwin school teacher and former NT Police officer Justin Konrad Murphy pleads guilty to high range drink driving

A FORMER cop turned schoolteacher blew .173 while driving with his lights off after an Anzac Day drinking session

CRAIG DUNLOP

less than 2 min read

May 7, 2019 - 4:15PM

Justin Konrad Murphy, 33, has been disqualified from driving for 12 months and fined for high range drink driving on Anzac Day.

Don't miss out on the headlines from Crime and Court. Followed categories will be added to My News.

A FORMER cop turned schoolteacher blew .173 while driving with his lights off after an Anzac Day drinking session.

Justin Konrad Murphy, 33, pleaded guilty on Tuesday in Darwin Local Court to High Range drink driving and driving without his headlamps on.

Murphy’s lawyer, Peter Maley, said his client had never been in trouble except for a speeding ticket.

“It’s a plea of guilty, it was Anzac Day, he was drunk at home and decided to go to town,” Mr Maley said.

“He’s not a big drinker, he’s gone to town, he’s stopped on the side of the road.”

Mr Maley said his client had been through a tough stint at work.

“The way he was treated by the Catholic education office was really of a concern to him,” he said.

Mr Maley said Murphy was “back trying to secure a job in the education sector” after a stint working as a wedding photographer.

Mr Maley said Murphy would now have to rely on his wife to drive him to work.

Mr Maley asked for Judge Elizabeth Morris to not record a conviction, which Prosecutor Hamish Riley opposed.

“This is an example of extremely prevalent offending,” he said.

“He had his headlights off and given the (blood alcohol) reading, I’d submit his intoxication had something to do with that.”

Mr Riley said there were no “extraordinary circumstances in the present case” for Murphy to get off without a conviction.

Ms Morris said Murphy “has obviously been going through a rough time” with his former employer.

“Going out and having a few drinks with a friend is a normal part of dealing with that,” she said.

“(But) .173 is a reading where you would have known you were well over the limit when you got behind the wheel.”

She convicted Murphy, fined him $300, plus $300 in levies and disqualified him from driving for a year.