Wayne Michael Brown in court for drink driving

An unlicensed driver with a “very bad” history was more than twice the legal limit when he offered to go buy a slab of beer from a bottle shop down the road and was busted by police.

Wayne Michael Brown, 42, was sitting in a stationary car in Wilkesdale in the South Burnett in October 2024, when police tested his blood alcohol content, the Murgon Magistrates Court heard on Tuesday, January 28.

A unlicensed driver who was more than twice the legal limit drove 300m down the street to buy a slab of beer when he was busted by police.
Wayne Michael Brown, 42, was sitting in a stationary car in Wilkesdale in the South Burnett in October 2024, when police tested his blood alcohol content, the Murgon Magistrates Court heard on Tuesday, January 28.

Police prosecutor Sophie Stewart said Brown was approached by officers on Chinchilla Wondai Rd and tested positive in his roadside breath test.

He later returned a reading of .102, and police discovered he did not hold a valid licence.

Murgon Magistrates Court.

Brown’s lawyer Scott Sier told magistrate Andrew Sinclair his client was “picking up a case of beer” at the bottle shop just 300m down the road from his house when he was caught on October 18, 2024.

“A friend of his was going to get the case of beer but … he said, I’ll go get it for you,” Mr Sier said.

“The defendant, being stupid, said I’ll just do the 300m drive and he’s gone that short distance.”

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The court heard the defendant had a “very bad driving history”, and was on probation for reckless driving.

“He has been doing an alcoholics course,” Mr Sier said.

“He does have a problem with alcohol and he is trying to do something about it.”

Mr Sier told the court his client had taken steps to decommission his car in order to avoid driving, and had made it almost six months without getting behind the wheel.

Mr Sinclair agreed Mr Brown had a “pretty bad” driving history, and warned he could face prison time if he continued to offend.

Mr Brown pleaded guilty to charges of driving a motor vehicle while over the middle alcohol limit but not over the high alcohol limit and driving while disqualified, and was fined $750.

He was also disqualified from driving for two-and-a-half years and given a three-month suspended jail sentence.

Originally published as Wayne Michael Brown in court for drink driving