Burger run costs hungry man $900

Drink-driving to Maccas: ‘Do you want fines with that?’

AN EARLY morning hunger run for a burger proved expensive for a Toowoomba man caught drink-driving and committing a number of other traffic offences.

Clay Stephen Hiles and some friends had been drinking at a residence just four houses from the McDonald’s Restaurant on James St when they felt hungry about 4.15am Sunday, June 18.

When police pulled over the car driven by Hiles with three passengers for a licence check, the 24-year-old got out of the car admitting to police that he was on his learner’s licence and that he had been drinking, Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard.

He blew a breath alcohol reading of 0.072 when, on a learner’s licence, he was subject to a zero alcohol reading, police prosecutor Sergeant Mike Robinson told the court.

Police also found he had been driving without a suitably licensed driver supervising him and he had not attached the “L” plates to the car, Sgt Robinson said.

When asked to produce his learner’s licence, Hiles admitted he didn’t have it on him as was required by law, the court heard.

He pleaded guilty to all four charges.

His solicitor Divina DeLeon told the court her client had made the poor decision to drive just four houses to the McDonald’s Restaurant but he had co-operated immediately with police and made full admissions to his offending.

Though her client had two previous offences of unlicensed driving, he had no previous drink-driving offences, she submitted.

Magistrate Catherine Pirie fined Hiles $400 on the drink-driving offence and disqualified him from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for three months.

Hiles was fined a further $500 on the other charges.

“You’ve got a $900 fine,” Ms Pirie told him.

“It would have been cheaper to walk.”