Robert John Turner, 56, of Wynnum West, Queensland, was sentenced on his sixth drink-driving charge by Tamworth Local Court magistrate Roger Prowse, who said  Turner had a “serious, serious problem with alcohol”.

Turner never showed up to his previous hearing on January 28, 2009 in Tenterfield Local Court to answer his fifth charge, Mr Prowse said.

On that occasion, Turner had been facing a mid-range drink-driving charge after returning a roadside breath-test reading of 0.120 when he’d been pulled over on the New England Highway at Tenterfield.

He had been convicted in his absence and a warrant had been issued for his arrest.

Turner’s luck ran out on February 3 this year when he was stopped for a random breath-test about 2pm near Coonabarabran. 

But Mr Prowse said that Turner, instead of stopping, “continued to drive towards the officer”, who had to run to his car for safety. The breath-test returned a reading of 0.216.

When asked for his licence, Turner told the officer: “I left my wallet in Tamworth.” Mr Prowse told the court that Turner had been driving from Melbourne to Tamworth when stopped for the breath-test and had literally been “drinking while driving”.

Turner has been in custody in both the Tamworth and Cessnock correctional centres since his arrest and appeared in court via videolink from Tamworth.

Mr Turner’s solicitor, Rae Parker, said that Turner, a driller by occupation, had been driving from Melbourne to Tamworth to  start working for his brother’s company.

Turner faced three charges in Tamworth Local Court – drive with high-range prescribed concentration of alcohol (PCA), behave in offensive manner in/near public place/school and drive with middle-range PCA.

Turner had pleaded guilty to the high-range charge last week, Ms Parker said.

Bail had previously been applied for, with a Mr Johnson of Nundle to supply surety; however, Mr Johnson had died suddenly, Ms Parker said.

She said Turner had “lost his way through alcohol”; he had lost his wife and six children because of his drinking problem.

He had “lost some dignity” but since he’d been in custody “he’s had a considerable number of weeks to consider his personal circumstances”.

On the mid-range charge, Turner was senetenced to three months’ jail, commencing February 3, 2013.

He was also disqualified from driving for two years.

On the high-range charge, Turner was sentenced to 12 months’ jail, with a non-parole period of eight months and disqualified from driving for three years.

He must also attend drug and alcohol rehabiliation as required.