Russell Paul Rutland: Warwick man fronts court after being busted drink driving twice in five days

The boozed-up father was more than double the alcohol limit on both occasions, and only one of the shocking drink/drug drivers sentenced in Warwick court recently.

IN COURT: These were the Warwick residents sentenced for drink and drug driving offences in court recently. Picture: file / Warwick Daily News

A man who was busted behind the wheel at more than double the legal limit twice in only a few days was just one of the people sentenced for drink or drug driving in the Warwick court recently.

Russell Paul Rutland was first nabbed by police on Dragon Street at about 10am on June 5, where he returned a blood alcohol concentration of 0.121.

Warwick Magistrates Court heard the 63-year-old told officers he’d knocked back a litre of wine the night before, but thought he’d be right to drive by the morning.

Police prosecutor Ken Wiggan said it was only five days later that Rutland was again pulled over by police on Wallace Street, this time with an even higher BAC of 0.131.

“He was on an immediate suspension notice from the five days previous, and he said he was just going to get some food,” Sergeant Wiggan said.

Rutland was busted again on June 15 when he returned a BAC of 0.114 at his home, which breached a no-alcohol condition of his bail.

Defence lawyer Bonnie O’Brien said Rutland “lapsed into serious alcoholism” following the recent separation from his partner and the deaths of seven friends and family within a year.

“He was involved in a work accident eight or nine years ago, meaning he’s suffered considerable back issues … and from some not insignificant mental health issues as a result of these ongoing problems,” she said.

Ms O’Brien added that her client was now working with a counsellor and rehabilitation centre to get his life back on track.

Rutland pleaded guilty to two counts of drink driving and one count of breaching a bail condition.

He was fined $1300 and disqualified from driving for three years and one month.

These were the other Warwick residents sentenced for drink or drug driving recently:

Jesy Ian Carpenter was taken off the roads for six months after he was busted driving with meth in his system.

The 25-year-old was nabbed by police on Pratten Street at about 5pm on April 24, where he returned the positive drug result.

The court heard it was Carpenter’s third drug-driving offence in the past five years.

Defence lawyer Bonnie O’Brien said the man moved back to Warwick from Hervey Bay for work, but he began struggling with mental health and fell back into drug use.

Carpenter was fined $850 and no conviction was recorded.

Alannah Kay Lashman said losing her licence after being nabbed drug driving was “the wake-up call” she needed.

The mother was busted driving with meth in her system on the Cunningham Highway at Gladfield on April 24.

The self-represented Lashman held back tears while addressing the Warwick court, saying she was a stay-at-home mum with an eight-month-old baby and “very remorseful” for her actions.

“It was a momentary lapse in judgment, and it’s been some time since … and I’m taking steps to help better my judgment in the future,” she said.

Lashman pleaded guilty to drug driving. She was fined $550 and disqualified from driving for three months.

Being caught behind the wheel of a prime mover while over the alcohol limit cost Troy Adam Lawrence both his licence and his job.

The truckie was nabbed on Cullendore Road, Elbow Valley at about 7am on July 27, where he returned a BAC of 0.063.

Lawrence told the Warwick court he’d had three drinks the night before and thought he would be right to drive, adding he was immediately sacked after being charged.

He pleaded guilty to one count of drink driving, was fined $450 and disqualified from driving for one month.

Phillip Alexander Tyler faced the Warwick court after he was busted drug driving and carrying illegal drugs in his bag.

The 62-year-old was pulled over on Wood Street at about 7am on May 7, where he returned a positive result for meth in his system.

Police prosecutor Ken Wiggan said Tyler told officers he’d “consumed some crystal” the night before, and was carrying 10.7g marijuana in his bag when busted by police.

Duty lawyer Phillip Crook said his client suffered bowel cancer and would be disadvantaged by losing his licence as he was unable to walk long distances, but said Tyler knew it was his own fault.

Tyler pleaded guilty to one count each of drug driving and possessing a dangerous drug.

He was fined $650 and disqualified from driving for six months.

Jacob Jamie Reid was taken off the roads for nine months after he was nabbed behind the wheel at almost three times the alcohol limit.

He was pulled over along Canning Street at about 12.40am on July 24, where he returned a BAC of 0.137.

The self-represented Reid said losing his licence would impact his job at Vorstrom Warwick and how often he could drive to see his son, but acknowledged he’d done the wrong thing.

Reid pleaded guilty to one count of drink driving and fined $850.

A few drinks the night before was enough to push Tyler Wayne Lockhart well over the legal limit, earning him a date in the Warwick court.

The 23-year-old was nabbed by police on the Cunningham Highway at Warrill View on June 27.

He returned a BAC of 0.09 at the scene.

Lockhart told the court he worked as a builder and had just signed a good behaviour bond the week prior after losing all of his demerit points.

He pleaded guilty to drink driving, and was fined $500 and disqualified from driving for three months.

Mikayla Leigh Jones said fronting court for drug driving made her realise she needed to change her ways for the sake of her family.

She was busted on Herbert Street at Allora on June 2, where she returned a positive for marijuana in her system.

Warwick Magistrates Court heard Jones appeared in court with a minor drug-related criminal history.

The mother-of-three said she was “really sorry and felt horrible” for her offending, especially as it left her with no way of driving her children around.

Jones pleaded guilty to drug driving. She was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for three months.

Jacob Martin Laredo pleaded guilty to drink driving after he was busted at close to double the alcohol limit.

The Warwick chef was nabbed with a BAC of 0.099 on Marshall Street on July 17.

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

Mother-of-two Angela-Gai Maree Jones was disqualified for three months after pleading guilty to drug driving.

Jones was busted driving on Willow Street at Killarney with marijuana in her system on June 8.

She was also fined $550.

Originally published as Russell Paul Rutland: Warwick man fronts court after being busted drink driving twice in five days