Bellingen agent Boldizsar ‘Buzz’ Barkoczy, 40, lodges severity appeal against loss of drivers licence

A Bellingen real estate agent who kept his licence on a ‘golden point’ only to lose it, has appealed the matter before a judge who deemed his driving record “terrible”.

40-year-old Boldizsar (Buzz) Barkoczy appeared in Coffs Harbour District Court on Monday but was unsuccessful in appealing the severity of his licence loss.

A judge has warned of the dangers of driving while not concentrating, rebuking a Bellingen real estate agent who was appealing his loss of a good behaviour licence known as the “golden point”.

“These offences can quickly become very tragic,” Judge Michael McHugh told the offender.

Boldizsar (Buzz) Barkoczy, 40, had earlier elected for the “golden point licence” after exceeding his demerit points — an offer available from Service NSW for those eligible.

However it also means if demerit points are lost during that period, the driver’s loss of licence is double the original suspension period.

The real estate agent was driving on Keevers Rd, North Bellingen on January 13 when he missed a signpost reducing the speed to 50km/h.

Boldizsar (Buzz) Barkoczy appealed the severity of his loss of licence after opting to continue to drive on a good behaviour licence.

His lawyer, Carlo Biancino, told the court as the speed limit changed from 80km/h to 50km/h his client had a “moment of inattentiveness” and “turned his head to the right to gaze across an idyllic field”.

Barkoczy was driving at a speed of 72km/h in the 50 zone and appeared before Coffs Harbour local court and pleaded guilty on March 4.

In his appeal to the local court decision in the district court on Monday Mr Biancino argued his client’s licence loss was “disproportionate consequences” and he tendered fresh evidence — a Traffic Offenders Program report and a letter.

Driving on a golden point could not save Boldizsar (Buzz) Barkoczy’s licence after losing concentration on a country road.

While Mr Biancino told the court that Barkoczy’s driving record was “poor”, Mr McHugh described it as “terrible”.

The court heard it included the loss of demerit points since 2020 and a suspension in 2022, as well as being caught for using a mobile phone in 2023 and 2024.

In making his decision to uphold the severity appeal or not, Mr McHugh said Barkoczy’s driving record meant he wasn’t entitled to any leniency.

“He awarded himself the opportunity to take a golden point and he lost it,” said Judge Michael McHugh.

Barkoczy’s appeal was dismissed and Mr McHugh upheld the decision of the local court.

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Originally published as Bellingen agent Boldizsar ‘Buzz’ Barkoczy, 40, lodges severity appeal against loss of drivers licence