Employees save drink-driving boss from going to jail

A 61-YEAR-OLD man with a shocking drink-driving record has been saved from going to jail by the workers he employs.

He told police he had about 30 cans of beer since 10am that day.

ONLY that his five employees would lose their jobs saved a Toowoomba man with a shocking traffic record from going to jail.

Ian Harrip had 14 previous drink-driving offences and 12 disqualified driving convictions since the 1980s before he appeared in Toowoomba Magistrates Court yesterday on further high-range drink-driving and disqualified driving offences.

The 61-year-old had blown a breath/alcohol reading of 0.187 after driving away from a crash at the corner of Holberton and Bridge Sts about 6.20pm, May 29, the court heard.

He had been driving while disqualified at the time.

Harrip told police he had started drinking about 10am that day and had about 30 cans of beer, the court heard.

He had initially denied being involved in the crash, telling police it could have been one of his daughters driving.

His solicitor Brad Skuse told the court his client had a tordoning business which employed five people.

Should he be jailed that business would fold and his employees would be out of work, he submitted.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Chris Willson told the court Harrip had just the one drink-driving and one disqualified driving offence in the past five years although the reading in 2018 was 0.187.

Magistrate Kay Ryan sentenced Harrip to 12 months jail but released him on parole immediately and disqualified him from holding or obtaining a driver's licence for five years.

Originally published as Employees save drink-driving boss from going to jail