P-plater had 15 beers before driving

By Monique Preston

Jan 15, 2025

A man told police he downed 15 beers at the pub before being picked up drink-driving on the way home.

A man told police he drank 15 beers at the pub after work before driving home, a court has heard.

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Sekove Taura, 35, of Nathalia, pleaded guilty in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court to drink-driving and failing to give way at a stop sign.

Prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Braden Wright told the court police pulled Taura over after he failed to give way at the intersection of Pearce and Blake Sts in Nathalia at 1am on September 7, 2024.

When breath-tested, the P-plater recorded a blood alcohol concentration of 0.107 – well over the 0.00 he must legally drive at.

Leading Sen Constable Wright said Taura told police at the time he had drank 15 beers in four hours at a pub in Nathalia and was “going home” after dropping off a friend.

Representing himself in court, Taura said he had gone to the pub after work at an abattoir.

Magistrate Olivia Trumble berated Taura for driving with alcohol in his system.

“You have a probationary licence. You can’t have any alcohol,” she said.

“You had 15 beers at a pub in four hours, so why would you have driven?

“It’s not a case where you thought you were okay to drive.

“Why didn’t you leave your car at the pub?”

Taura was fined $300 and disqualified from driving for 10 months, backdated to the day of the offence.

“If you want to go to the pub and drink, don’t take your car,” Ms Trumble said.

“Then you can’t have the temptation to drive home.”