Cop convicted for driving three times over limit on Good Friday morning

An NT Police officer has been slapped with a conviction for driving while three times over the limit during his own force’s Easter blitz.

• Alleged drink-driving cop caught as NT Police conduct RBT blitz

AN NT Police officer has been slapped with a conviction for driving while three times over the limit during his own force’s Easter drink driving blitz.

Jarrod Peter Mathison, 46, appeared in the Darwin Local Court on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to one count of high range drink driving.

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The court heard Mathison was pulled over for a random breath test on the Stuart Highway at Bees Creek at around 9.30am on Good Friday. He later blew a blood alcohol reading of 0.158.

When asked why he had drunk and drove, the court heard Mathison told the officer “I didn’t have any today.”

Police officer Jarrod Mathison leaves the Darwin Local Court after pleading guilty to drink driving.

His lawyer Ray Murphy handed up written submissions to Judge Richard Wallace instead of making oral submissions. However, he did say that other “colleagues” of his client that he had represented tended to get a demotion for drink driving offences.

“My client has already indicated he will be conceding breaches of discipline alleged against him,” Mr Murphy said.

In sentencing, Mr Wallace noted Mathison’s impressive personal and professional references, but said the offending was “too serious to not carry with it a conviction.”

“You’re an unusually valuable and unusually brave member of the police force,” Mr Wallace said.

“It’s all very well to wake up feeling not drunk but particularly a police officer should be able to have some grasp that there’s some risk of being over the limit.

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“As you would know anyone with this [blood alcohol level] is dangerous on the road.”

Mathison was fined a total of $750 in fines and levies and disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Mr Wallace warned Mathison not to drive while disqualified “however inconvenient it is and how humiliating it is” as it could result in him being dismissed from the police force.

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