18 alleged drink drivers charged on Hamilton Island over Christmas and NYE

A magistrate who was surprised at the amount of drink drivers on Hamilton Island appearing in court, was told police officers have to target the island following tragic outcomes with golf buggies. Read about the latest drink drivers who faced court.

A magistrate who was surprised at the amount of cases of drink driving on Hamilton Island was told police were targeting the island after a tragic death.

A magistrate who was surprised at the amount of cases of drink driving on Hamilton Island was told police were targeting the island after a tragic death.

Acting Magistrate Michael Bice was surprised as it was only 10am and two drink drivers on Hamilton Island had already been mentioned in court.

“We’re dealing with golf buggies today, they must have done a blitz,” he said during court proceedings.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Emma Myors told the court police were concentrating on the island “because of a death in 2022”.

Ms Myors was referring to a tragic golf buggy crash on the island that cost the life of Marina Morgan, who was celebrating her honeymoon on the island.

Early in 2023, an 18-year-old woman was sentenced after driving while four times over the alcohol limit, and causing a crash that sent a woman to hospital.

A Queensland Police Service spokesman said over Christmas and New Year, officers from the Whitsunday Station were deployed on Hamilton Island for a period of 10 days.

During that period of time, 18 people were arrested for drink driving, with one person arrested for high-range drink driving, meaning driving while over 1.150 blood alcohol concentration.

The spokesman also said 57 drivers were charged with drink driving in 2023 on Hamilton Island.

There is currently no police stationed permanently on the island, but since July 2023, QPS has been trilling regular overnight patrols.

“An increased presence of police on Hamilton Island targeting road safety has seen an increase in drink driver detection as a direct result,” the spokesman said.

“The QPS would like to remind all visitors and residents of Hamilton Island that they to be aware of the road rules and that that those rules apply to all vehicles used on the island as if they were driving a vehicle on the mainland.”

Here are the latest drink drivers appearing in Proserpine Magistrates Court:

Convictions recorded:

Tariq Omar Mahomed

Tariq Omar Mahomed sentenced for drink driving on Hamilton Island.

A housekeeping manager who works on Hamilton Island was caught drink driving his golf buggy on Christmas Day.

Tariq Omar Mahomed, who was breath tested at around 10:40pm had told police officers he had “ a few beers” on that night.

His blood alcohol concentration was 0.142.

PD Law solicitor Peta Vernon put forward his application for a work licence in front of the Proserpine Magistrates Court, stating that he had no previous convictions of the sort.

Acting Magistrate Michael Bice told Mahomed that he “made a very poor choice” but accepted to grant him the work licence.

Mahomed pleaded guilty to drink driving, his licence was disqualified for six months and he was fined $500.

The conviction was recorded.

Nicholas Noel Clarke

Nicholas Noel Clarke sentenced for driving under the influence on Hamilton Island.

Nicholas Noel Clarke was caught driving his golf buggy while under the influence on New Year’s Eve.

Police had breath tested him on Acacia Dr on Hamilton Island and he had told them he had a “heap of alcohol” earlier in the day.

His blood alcohol concentration was 0.155.

Prosecutor Sergeant Emma Myors told the Proserpine Magistrates Court Clarke was not eligible for a special hardship licence when he asked.

Clarke pleaded guilty to driving under the influence, was fined $600 and his licence was disqualified for four months.

Harpun Kaur Brar, 27

A 27-year-old Canadian law student was caught over the legal alcohol limit while driving her family home on Christmas Day on Hamilton Island.

PD Law solicitor Peta Vernon told the court “she was the lesser of the evil” on that day and she was the one who drunk the least.

Her blood alcohol concentration was 0.060.

Mr Bice told Brar he was not sure whether her family “influenced” her choice but that she needed to be more careful.

She pleaded guilty to drink driving in front of Proserpine Magistrates Court, her licence was disqualified for a month and she was fined $350.

The conviction was recorded.

Dragana Poletanovic

Dragana Poletanovic was caught drink driving her golf buggy along Melaleuca Dr on December 28.

Prosecutor Sergeant Emma Myors told the court police had breath tested her at 8:50pm and she had told them she had “a few alcoholic drinks”.

Ms Myors told the court Poletanovic’s blood alcohol concentration was 0.059 and that she had not previous history of drink driving.

Poletanovic pleaded guilty in front of the Proserpine Magistrates Court, was fined $300 and her licence was disqualified for a month.

Originally published as 18 alleged drink drivers charged on Hamilton Island over Christmas and NYE