John Francis Wakenshaw, 42, of Tatura, pleaded guilty in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court to drink-driving.
Prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Anna Hanlon told the court Wakenshaw recorded a blood alcohol concentration of 0.153 when he was pulled over by police in Park St, Tatura, after leaving a pub in the town.
His car was impounded and he was immediately banned from driving.
Wakenshaw told police he had been drinking pints of beer but did not know how many he had had before leaving the pub about 6pm on November 23 last year.
When asked by police if he thought he would be over the legal limit, he told them “yes, I did”, Leading Sen Constable Hanlon said.
Magistrate Simon Zebrowski noted Wakenshaw had been caught drink-driving three times before.
Wakenshaw’s solicitor Luke Slater said his client lived about 3km from the pub and was driving on very rural roads to get home.
He also said Wakenshaw’s employment had “become more difficult” since losing his licence.
Wakenshaw was fined $1200 and disqualified from driving, with the disqualification backdated to the day of the offence.
“You jump in your car at 0.15 and part of your thinking is that you live in the country. But all it takes is one person staggering on the road and you clean him up,” Mr Zebrowski said.
“People who drink-drive think they are unlucky if they get caught, but this is the best-case scenario.
“You could kill someone and do seven to 10 years (in jail).”
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