A MAN has been hit with a strict court order and a fine after he was caught drink driving for the second time in two months.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Beau Augustus Renny Thompson fronted sentencing in Tamworth Local Court earlier this week for mid-range drink driving.
The court heard the 27-year-old had been charged with low-range drink driving just a couple of months before he got behind the wheel while over the legal blood alcohol limit again.
"So that's not good," magistrate Julie Soars told him.
The court heard Thompson worked in an industry where he was subject to regular testing and moved around different communities.
Ms Soars warned him that people could "go a bit crazy" on their days off when they worked in such constricted jobs.
"You just can't let this sort of offending happen again," she said.
"People go to jail for the drink driving matters because you put people at risk."
Thompson said he had come back from holidays and had been out drinking with friends before he drove on May 29 this year.
He was arrested by police and blew a mid-range blood alcohol reading.
Thompson represented himself during sentencing in Tamworth Local Court on Monday.
READ ALSO:
The nature of Thompson's offending meant he had to have an interlock device installed in his vehicle or else face a "hefty" period of time off the road.
The court heard he needed his driving licence for his job, but that he would also struggle to have the interlock because he had to use different work vehicles.
"What are my options, Your Honour?" Thompson asked the court.
Ms Soars said she couldn't give him legal advice and that as a man with a job and income he should have forked out for a lawyer to represent him in court on the serious charge.
"This is your whole livelihood for the next two years," she told him.
A defence lawyer seated in the court at the time stepped up to help after the problem came to light.
"There's no magic bullet in terms of the predicament he finds himself in," solicitor Andrew O'Halloran told the court.
Thompson ultimately accepted the two-year interlock period.
He was also hit with a 12-month community corrections order, or good behaviour order; a $400 fine; and the minimum licence disqualification period of six months to encourage his employment.
Ms Soars told him to treat his licence like gold when he got it back.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark northerndailyleader.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Google News