‘Doomed from the start’: Man jailed after Boozy fishing trip

A Collinsville man has been called ‘stupid’, risking driving home after a day out fishing and drinking

A DRINK-DRIVER who will spend time in jail has been told he 'was doomed from the start' after he risked driving home from a boozy day out fishing.

Collinsville man, Travis Strutton, 30, pleaded guilty in Bowen Magistrates Court to driving while over the middle alcohol limit and driving with a licence suspended by SPER.

Prosecutor Sergeant Emma Myors told the court Strutton recorded a blood alcohol concentration of 0.106 when he was stopped by police in Station St, Collinsville, at 11.55pm on November 22 for a random breath test.

Strutton held a suspended learner licence and had a 'terrible history of unlicenced driving', the court heard.

Solicitor Leah McDonnell said Strutton and a friend had driven to the Bowen River to fish, with Strutton taking a case of beer and the friend taking a six-pack of beer.

The court heard the friend allegedly drunk half of the carton, and Strutton believed his only option was to drive the vehicle or stay at the Bowen River overnight, as he didn't want to be a passenger. .

"He took the wheel as he didn't want his mate to drive and thought he was the lesser of two evils," Ms McDonnell said.

She said Strutton acknowledged his 'history is horrendous' and had since sold all of his vehicles - three cars, two bikes, a boat and a jet ski - to stop any temptation, as well as gaining employment as an excavator.

Magistrate James Morton said he couldn't understand Strutton's 'stupidity' and was 'doomed from the start'.

"Your maths just doesn't add up. You have 30 beers for six hours. You know that more than six beers will be drunk over those six hours," Mr Morton said.

"Given your lengthy history I see here, I can't understand your stupidity, it's unfathomable."

Strutton was on a suspended sentence at the time of his drink drive for separate offending.

Mr Morton activated the suspended jail term of six months and ordered Strutton to serve it cumulatively with a three month jail term for driving while over the middle alcohol limit, with parole set for February 4, 2020.

For driving with a licence suspended by SPERS, Strutton was fined $300, with conviction recorded. He was suspended from driving for 18 months.

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