Drink-driver caught twice gets jail time
A NEW Norfolk man, who was caught drink-driving twice in one day and driving with a steering clamp still attached, has been sentenced to nine months behind bars.
In December, Christopher Glen Basso, 59, was charged with two counts of drink-driving, failing to wear a seat belt, driving without a licence, three counts of driving while disqualified, and unlawful interference with a clamped vehicle.
He was pulled over by police officers for not wearing a seat belt while driving in New Norfolk.
Despite Basso saying “can’t you just give me a warning, I have things to do”, police took him in for a breath-test.
Basso recorded a blood-alcohol concentration reading of 0.16 per cent and was disqualified from driving.
Police said CCTV footage showed that 13 minutes after his release Basso returned to his car with spare keys and continued driving it.
The vehicle was again located by police and a steeringwheel clamp was fitted to the car, but Basso continued to drive it and was finally intercepted nearby a school.
Basso’s lawyer Adrian Healy said while Basso had received a seven-year disqualification from driving in the past, he had not committed an offence for some time.
Mr Healy said Basso got in the car because his partner — who he had earlier had an argument with — had decided to walk from New Norfolk to her parents house in Gretna.
“It was not a premeditated decision to drive that day,” he said. “He did not intend to drive that day, circumstances unfolded.
“He is very embarrassed by these matters, it was a spur of the moment thing.”
Magistrate Reg Marron said the reasons given were not good enough.
“Your history [on driving] is a shocking history, you have no regard for road rules,” he said.
“While there is a gap [between offences] there is one because you were not allowed to drive.”
Mr Marron sentenced Basso to three months behind bars for one of the counts and two months each for three others — handing him a total sentence of nine months.
Four months of this will be suspended.