18 drink-drivers face Rockhampton and Yeppoon courts for their offending

Alarmingly, some of the higher blood-alcohol readings recorded were almost five times the legal limit. Here’s who got caught and the punishments they each received.

Drink-drivers caught at Rockhampton and Yeppoon.

Here are 18 drink-drivers who recently pleaded guilty in either Yeppoon or Rockhampton courts to their offending.

April 28, Yeppoon Magistrates Court

Rennah Tanya Tiffin, 53, had a blood-alcohol reading of .073 when she was intercepted driving along Tanby Road, Yeppoon, on March 5 at 9.05pm.

Police prosecutor Courtney Brown said Tiffin told police she had consumed about three cans of beer between 5.30pm and 8.30pm before being intercepted by police.

Tiffin applied for a work licence.

The court heard she was a waiter and bar attendant at in Yeppoon.

She was fined $450 and disqualified from driving for three months. A work licence was granted.

April 14, Yeppoon Magistrates Court

Lisa Fay Young, 32, blew a high-range reading of .157 when she was caught drink-driving on Yeppoon’s Queen Street on March 19.

The court heard Young was a single mother who worked as a nurse at a hospital.

Magistrate Jason Schubert accepted this offence was out of character for Young and fined her $1050 and disqualified her from driving for nine months.

Kevin Fenton Lalor, 57, was involved in a three-vehicle traffic crash when he was caught drink-driving on Tanby Road, on March 30, about 1.25pm.

Lalor returned a blood-alcohol reading of .099.

The court heard Lalor had no similar offending on his traffic history.

He was fined $500 and disqualified from driving for three months.

Nadine Roberts, 27, blew a reading of .116 when she was caught drink-driving on Farnborough Road on March 8.

The court heard Roberts operated a property management business with her partner, and she had no offending of this sort on her traffic history.

Roberts was fined $650 and disqualified from driving for four months.

April 8, Rockhampton Magistrates Court

Ashley Andrew Wiley, 28, was drink-driving when he hit a parked car at the Kershaw Gardens, North Rockhampton, on March 19.

The court heard Wiley phoned police and immediately admitted the offence.

When police tested Wiley at the scene, he returned a blood-alcohol reading of .107.

The court was told that Wiley, a father of three who worked as a painter, had previous drink-driving offending on his history.

He was fined $850 and disqualified from driving for eight months.

Kylie Michelle Elliott.

Mother of three Kylie Michelle Elliott, 47, blew a reading of .058 when she was caught drink-driving on Rodboro Street, North Rockhampton, on March 18.

She was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for one month.

April 7, Yeppoon Magistrates Court

Belinda Karen Schurmann.

Belinda Karen Schurmann, 46, blew a reading of .111 when she was caught drink-driving on Whitman Street, Yeppoon, on March 23.

The court heard Schurmann was a married mother of two children who also did part-time work at Yeppoon Bowls Club.

A solicitor said Schurmann was “extremely ashamed” at her offending, she had no criminal history, and this was her first time before a court.

Schurmann was fined $600 and disqualified from driving for four months.

A magistrate said Scott William Bennett, 36, had a “very good traffic history” after he pleaded guilty in court to a drink-driving charge.

The court heard Bennett blew .063 after he was tested by police on February 2.

Magistrate Jason Schubert acknowledged Bennett’s good driving record before fining him $350 and disqualifying him from driving for one month.

Jake William Dollar.

P-plater Jake William Dollar, 21, was caught driving over the no-alcohol limit on Queen Street, Yeppoon, on March 8.

He returned a blood alcohol reading of .022.

With no previous drink-driving offences on his traffic history, Dollar was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for three months.

Michael Shane Roskell, 42, blew a high-range reading of .225 after crashing his car into a tree at Yeppoon on January 23.

He was fined $1600 and disqualified from driving for 13 months. Read the full story here.

Stephen Vernon Johnson, 54, also blew a high-range reading (.214) when he was caught drink-driving on Appleton Drive, Yeppoon, on March 19.

Solicitor Joanne Madden tendered a letter written by Johnson to the court.

Ms Madden said Johnson was employed full-time and he anticipated he would lose his job as a result of this offence which he was embarrassed about.

Magistrate Jason Schubert noted Johnson had numerous previous drink-driving offences on his history.

Mr Schubert placed Johnson on six months’ probation with conditions and disqualified him from driving for 13 months.

Chanelle Valerie Frew.

Chanelle Valerie Frew, 39, notched up her fifth drink-driving offence when she was caught with a reading of .175 in Yeppoon.

She was ordered to perform 50 hours of unpaid community service and disqualified from driving for 10 months. Read the full story here.

March 24, Yeppoon Magistrates Court

Zander Luc Jaquet, 18, was on a probationary licence when he was caught drink-driving (.065) on Adelaide Park Road on January 22.

With no previous traffic history, Jaquet was fined $500 and disqualified from driving for three months.

Mathew William Thomas Koina, 29, drove after consuming 12 cans of beer, a court heard.

He was stopped by police on the Scenic Highway at Yeppoon on January 28 where he returned a blood-alcohol reading of .096.

Representing himself in court, Koina said he made “a silly mistake” and he “shouldn’t have driven.”

Koina was fined $550 and disqualified from driving for four months.

Daniel Gordon Roland Mcpherson, 34, was busted drink-driving on Taranganba Road on March 9.

He returned a blood-alcohol reading of .069.

He was fined $500 and disqualified from driving for three months.

Jade Russell Thomas, 27, told the court he was “extremely sorry” for his high-range drink-driving offence.

Thomas blew a reading of .155 when he was intercepted on Tanby Road on March 4.

Thomas was fined $900 and disqualified from driving for eight months.

Jason Scott Crockett, 49, consumed half a bottle of wine before he was caught driving on February 6, the court heard.

Crockett, who returned a reading of .115, told the court he had resigned from his position at St Brendan’s College.

He was fined $600 and disqualified from driving for four months.

Ritchie John Mackay, 48, blew a reading of .145 when he was caught drink-driving on the Scenic Highway at Yeppoon on February 28.

Mackay also pleaded guilty to driving while unlicensed on March 21 and driving while over the no-alcohol limit (.024).

Magistrate Cameron Press fined Mackay $1350 and disqualified him from driving for 10 months.

Originally published as 18 drink-drivers face Rockhampton and Yeppoon courts for their offending