Driver banned over poor judgment

A Two-and-a-half-year ban has been handed down to a man whose poor judgment has put him in front of a magistrate.

Vernon Mark Garate, 20, appeared in the Charters Towers Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty to two charges of drink-driving while the holder of a provisional driver’s licence, driving a motor vehicle while not allowed and driving while disqualified.

The prosecutor said Garate was stopped by police at 12.20am on October 5 at a carpark in Ryan St for the purpose of a roadside breath test.

Tests showed Garate had a blood alcohol reading of .140.

The court heard Garate made admissions to having consumed three alcoholic drinks since 10pm.

In addition to being a provisional licence holder, requiring him to have a zero alcohol level, Garate’s licence was subject to a late night driving restriction that did not allow him to drive at night.

The prosecutor said Garate was issued with an immediate suspension of his driver’s licence.

At 1.55am police saw Garate walking towards his vehicle. A short time later they noticed the vehicle was gone.

Garate was seen driving on to a property with the headlights off.

He was stopped by police, placed under arrest and taken to the police station where he was breathalysed again.

Tests on the second occasion showed Garate had a blood alcohol concentration of .141.

Magistrate Ross Mack convicted and fined Garate a total of $2400 and disqualified him from driving for a total of two years and six months.

He was warned not to drive during the disqualification period.