AN Orange man caught driving to Trangie with a blood alcohol reading of 0.228 and no licence has been fined more than $3000 and ordered to stay off the road until 2023.
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Glen Hopton Dodds, 45 of Moad Street, pleaded guilty to high-range PCA and driving while disqualified in Orange Local Court on Monday.
Police facts said members of the public reported a blue Suzuki Swift on the Mitchell Highway with no rear number plate on January 20.
Highway patrol was stationed between Nevertire and Trangie at about 5pm.
Police observed the vehicle weaving and encroaching on the centre dividing line before stopping Dodds for a random breath test.
The facts said he was swaying with slurred speech and smelled of liquor.
Dodds had been disqualified since October 1999 and prior to the latest offence, would not have been eligible for a licence until October 2020.
His solicitor, Nidal Abdi, said Dodds had been struggling with alcohol for a long time.
“His first drink was at 14 or 15 when his brother was fatally stabbed in front of him,” he said.
“He drinks to forget."
While police alleged Dodds drove more than 200 kilometres from Orange, Mr Abdi said his client only drove for a short period of time after taking over from his brother-in-law.
“There were other options and he agrees he was too drunk to drive,” he said.
Magistrate Terry Lucas fined Dodds $2200 and disqualified him for two years for the PCA offence, with an additional $1100 and a one-year disqualification for the drive while disqualified offence.
“A $20 cab fare would have gotten you anywhere you wanted to go,” he said.