Hawkins’ sister over the limit after night out
THE sister of a high profile Geelong AFL player was caught driving over the legal alcohol limit after a night out in Geelong, a court has heard.
Jane Hawkins, 30, sister of Tom Hawkins, appeared before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court yesterday on two charges — exceeding the .05 limit and driving through a red light.
The court heard Jane Hawkins had “a couple of drinks at home” before heading out to a social event in Corio St, Geelong, on the night of April 1, 2017.
Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Denise Frame said Hawkins told police she had stopped drinking around midnight. She had left the premises about 1.30am to drive home.
“At 1.40am on April 2 police were stopped at a red light on Railway Terrace, Geelong, at the intersection of La Trobe Terrace,” she said.
“The light turned green and police drove into the intersection heading west when the accused was observed driving her vehicle north. As police entered the intersection they observed the accused drive through the red light.”
The court heard a preliminary breath test showed the presence of alcohol on her breath and she was taken to Geelong police station for a breath test.
“The test was conducted and a result of .160 was obtained,” SenConstable Frame said.
A lawyer for Hawkins said his client had stopped drinking around midnight and didn’t think she would be over the limit.
He said the traffic light had been orange when she drove through the intersection and she believed it turned red while she was driving through it.
The lawyer told the court Hawkins had no prior convictions.
He said she had been a valuable member of the community with numerous references in regard to “excellent” working history and this incident “was entirely out of character”.
Magistrate Brian Clifford said he would take all of those things into account in sentencing.
“I take into account that you have pleaded guilty, that you have no prior convictions and I’ll accept that it was very much out of character,” he said.
“It is a very high reading though and as a result of that I will have to impose a deterrent sentence.”
Mr Clifford convicted and fined Hawkins a total of $1250 and cancelled her licence for 16 months.