Rural firey Grant Ernest Western pays price for high-range drink-driving offence

A Central Queensland rural firey has paid the price for a high-range drink-driving offence. Here’s what happened.

A Central Queensland rural firey has paid a costly price for high-range drink-driving with passengers in the car.

Grant Ernest Western, 41, pleaded guilty in Yeppoon Magistrates Court on September 1 to the offence.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Kevin Ongheen said about 6.20pm on August 5, police officers were on patrol at Annie Drive, Cawarral, when they saw a Holden Rodeo “swerving all over the road”.

The court heard that Western was the driver and he had two passengers in the vehicle at the time.

Western was pulled over by police and he returned a blood alcohol reading of .152.

The court was told that Western had no offending of this sort on his traffic history.

Solicitor Krissy Cummins said Western was predominantly a stay-at-home father and his wife worked away a lot of the time.

“I’m instructed that they (Western and passengers) had been to the pub - my client hadn’t eaten that day.

“He doesn’t usually drink, but he did on this occasion and he was pulled over on his way home.”

Ms Cummins said Western was “extremely remorseful” for his actions.

The solicitor said Western did a lot of work with the Rural Fire Service and she tendered two references specific to that.

Ms Cummins said the implications of not having a driver’s licence would not only be felt by Western, but also the community.

“He won’t be able to carry out the (Rural Fire Service) duties that he does usually carry out,” Ms Cummins said.

Acting Magistrate Ron Muirhead noted that Western “had a good record up until now” but said he had to take into account that Western had passengers in the car at the time of his offence.

Mr Muirhead fined Western $1000 and disqualified him from driving for eight months.

Originally published as Rural firey Grant Ernest Western pays price for high-range drink-driving offence