William John Wherritt, 68, of Betts Street, Molong, was fined $700 and disqualified from driving for six months in Orange Local Court on Monday for recording a mid-range drink driving reading of 0.134.

Wherritt’s solicitor Mick Madden said his client lived about 100m from the Molong Bowling Club where he had been drinking.

“Of course, living that far he would normally walk to the club,” Mr Madden said.

“He was doing maintenance work at the bowling club so he drove his car because it had the tool box in it.

“He was drinking with his cousin, he wanted to get his cousin home and [his cousin] was having trouble walking so he put him in his car and decided to drive him home.”

Wherritt told police he consumed 10 schooners of beer at the club and police described him as staggering and slurring when they pulled up to speak to him.

Mr Madden said his client drove up to 70 kilometres a day for work.

“The last matter on his traffic record was 18 or 19 years ago, there was nothing on his record for that 19 years,” he said.

Wherritt’s licence had been suspended since he was caught on October 27 and magistrate Bernard Kennedy took that into account with the disqualification meaning Wherritt could reapply for his licence from April 26 next year.

“It was only when you got out of the vehicle that you were noticed and it was pretty obvious at the time that you were affected by alcohol,” Mr Kennedy said. 

A man who was seen by police driving “from side-to-side in an unusual manner” at 2.50am was caught drink driving on October 7.

Thomas Hayek, 31, of Kamdell Place, was caught driving with a mid-range reading of 0.140.

On Monday Hayek was sentenced by magistrate Bernard Kennedy in Orange Local Court by magistrate Bernard Kennedy who gave him an eight-month good behaviour bond and disqualified him from driving for nine months.

“Although you were in the mid-range you were up there in the mid-range … I do note that you came under notice for the manner in which you were driving as well,” Mr Kennedy said.