Jaye Haines: Gold Coast crane operator guilty of high-range drink driving

A Gold Coast crane operator has paid a high price in court for his decision to go on a pizza run after seven hours of drinking to cater for his son’s 18th birthday. Here’s what happened in court.

Domino's Ashmore. Picture: Daniel Russell

An 18-year-old’s birthday party came to an abrupt stop when the birthday boy was forced to go collect his dad, who got caught high-range drink driving on a pizza run to Domino’s, a court has heard.

Southport man Jaye Haines, 44, appeared in Southport Magistrates Court last week, where he pleaded guilty to a charge of driving under the influence of liquor.

The court heard the offence was detected on the evening of February 17 at Currumburra Rd, Ashmore.

Police received multiple reports of a heavily intoxicated male attempting to access his vehicle, with a number of bystanders making efforts to prevent him driving off.

Southport man Jaye Haines, 44. Picture: Alex Treacy

Officers were dispatched to the pizza shop, where they were told by Haines, who was slurring his words, it was his son’s 18th and he has been drinking beer from about 2pm until 9pm.

Analysis of Haines’ breath returned a reading of 0.226 per cent blood-alcohol content – four and a half times the legal limit.

Defence lawyer Jack Marshall told the court his client acknowledged he had a problem with alcohol abuse and was also struggling with the recent separation from his long-term partner.

He said Haines had been attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings since the offending.

His client acknowledged the gravity of the offending.

“He simply had no business being anywhere near that car,” Mr Marshall said.

“His 18-year-old son on his birthday had to come bail him out.”

Haines would, for now, keep his job as a crane operator, as the site he was currently working at was only a short distance from his residence, but should that change he would be faced with some tough decisions.

Haines was fined $1500 and disqualified from driving for 10 months.

Originally published as Jaye Haines: Gold Coast crane operator guilty of high-range drink driving