Adelaide radiologist Dr Tom Entwisle pleads guilty to drink driving after being caught in ‘borrowed’ golf buggy in CBD

A top Adelaide doctor has been fined – but not convicted – after driving a “borrowed” golf buggy through the CBD while drunk. See the video.

Dr Tom Entwisle outside the Adelaide Magistrates Court, where he pleaded guilty to drunk-driving a Womad cart down King William St. Picture: Sean Fewster

A top radiologist’s offer to help clean up after Womad morphed into a slow-speed cruise through the CBD in a “borrowed” golf buggy thanks to heavy drinking, a court has heard.

On Thursday, Dr Tom Entwisle, 44, pleaded guilty in the Adelaide Magistrates Court to driving with a blood-alcohol level of 0.132.

A police prosecutor told the court Dr Entwisle was pulled over at the intersection of King William St and Rundle Mall at 4.43am on March 11.

“He was in a golf buggy … the person who owned the buggy decided not to pursue the issue or press charges,” he said.

A man who took a WOMAdelaide golf buggy on a bizarre drunken joyride through the CBD has been revealed as a highly-respected Adelaide radiologist. The latest from court in 7NEWS Adelaide at 6pm | https://t.co/8ftPfGh39Y#7NEWSpic.twitter.com/WVe1RZPymq

— 7NEWS Adelaide (@7NewsAdelaide) May 18, 2023

Magistrate John Wells remarked: “The owner accepts it was borrowed and subsequently returned, then.”

Dr Entwisle’s lawyer Phoebe Foster-Richardson said her client’s offending, while unusual, had a less-than-complex origin.

Dr Tom Entwisle outside the Adelaide Magistrates Court, where he pleaded guilty to drunk-driving a Womad cart down King William St. Picture: Sean Fewster

“On that day, he had been with friends visiting from Melbourne and attending Womad in Botanic Park,” Ms Foster-Richardson said.

“He had been steadily consuming alcohol throughout the day, but he rarely imbibes in taking alcohol, particularly to excess.

“He and his friends were assisting staff by cleaning up and packing away chairs after the event, and one of his friends was using the golf cart – with permission – to move chairs.

“Unfortunately, the cart was driven out of Botanic Park without permission by one of his friends toward Rundle Mall and, at some stage, Dr Entwisle took over driving.”

Ms Foster-Richardson said her client was a passionate and dedicated radiologist who oversaw a large staff that provided musculoskeletal pain relief to their patients.

She asked he receive no conviction, saying it could have “catastrophic consequences” for his continuing registration in his field.

However, she conceded there was no hard evidence proving medical boards would look unkindly upon a drink-driving conviction.

In sentencing, Mr Wells said it was unacceptable that drink-driving continued to happen, leading to injuries and fatalities, despite decades of public awareness campaigns.

However, he said Dr Entwisle’s offending was “unusual” and different “from the norm” given the type of vehicle and low speed involved.

That, he said, meant Dr Entwisle posed far less risk to pedestrians and other road users than most drunk drivers.

“You now join the ranks of people who have made the foolish decision to drive while intoxicated,” he said.

“It’s unusual for a sentencing court to deal with drink-driving matters without conviction (but) I’m satisfied it’s unlikely that you will commit this offence again.

“This experience, standing in the dock of a criminal court and the associated shame and public scrutiny, all cohere into a strong motivation for you not to reoffend.”

Mr Wells did not record a conviction but fined Dr Entwisle $900, disqualified him from driving for nine months and ordered he perform 36 hours of community service in the next 12 months.

Outside court, Dr Entwisle said: “I deeply regret and am sorry for my offending”.

Originally published as Adelaide radiologist Dr Tom Entwisle pleads guilty to drink driving after being caught in ‘borrowed’ golf buggy in CBD