In Cootamundra Local Court on Monday, Paul Delaney and Shane McKellar were both fortunate to keep their drivers licences appealing to the magistrate for a second chance after being caught low range drink driving.
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On the evening of June 18, Mr Delaney blew 0.063 following an afternoon at the pub.
He explained to magistrate Peter Dare that after working all day, including through lunch, he went to the pub and consumed three schooners of full-strength beer.
Mr Delaney showed remorse for his actions.
“It was an error in judgement and I’m sorry for that,” Mr Delaney told the court.
When asked by Mr Dare if he had learned a lesson out of his brush with the law, Mr Delaney replied “I sure have”.
Mr Delaney also explained he was a self-employed carpenter who worked on his own and his licence was imperative for his continued ability to work and support himself.
Mr Dare generously gave Mr Delaney another chance dismissing the charge and instead of a licence suspension handing out a three month good behaviour bond.
Mr Delaney was also required by the court to attend a driver education program.
Mr McKellar was also facing court for the first time on a drink driving charge.
A retiree who recently underwent a double knee reconstruction, the court heard Mr McKellar was pulled over in Harden on June 13 with a blood alcohol level of 0.076 in his system.
It would be a couple of month’s from his court appearance on Monday before his knees would allow him to drive.
Mr Dare noted it had been some 16 years since Mr McKellar came under the attention of the law – his last fine being for speeding in 1999.
Mr Dare enforced no conviction and no loss of licence, instead instructing that Mr McKellar be of good behaviour for 12 months under a bond issued.
He also had to complete the driver education program within three months.
A blood alcohol reading of 0.051 put Daniel Armstrong just over the legal limit of 0.05, however a previous drink driving conviction in 2012 meant Mr Dare could not show any leniency towards Mr Armstrong.
In Cootamundra local Court on Monday, Mr Armstrong explained he had been at the trots in Young with a mate and had consumed two cans of bourbon over the space of four to five hours.
He believed he was under the limit to drive.
Mr Dare enforced a licence disqualification period and also stated that Mr Armstrong would have to have an alcohol ignition interlock system fitted to his car.
This breath test device is connected to the ignition of a vehicle to stop it from starting if the driver has been drinking alcohol.
It is now mandatory for those who have two drink driving offences or more in the space of five years to have such a device fitted.
