SOLICITOR Michael Madden argued in Orange Local Court his client, who had driven with a high-range blood alcohol reading, was a changed man after wearing beer goggles during the PCYC traffic offenders program.
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“He’s learnt from the traffic program, they have these things called beer goggles that show all the different ranges.
“It gave him a perspective on what the world would have looked like,” he said.
“He was shocked by it, shocked.”
Jake Darren Richardson put his life at risk, the lives of road users at risk as well as the life of his female passenger at risk when he chose to drive with a blood-alcohol reading of 0.185, police facts said.
The 21-year-old from Millthorpe was seen by police “well in excess of the 50km/h speed limit” in Summer Street at 11.55pm on Friday, March 7, he swerved across dual lanes and did a U-turn at the Anson Street intersection.
He told police he had consumed seven cans of rum between 8pm and 11pm that night.
Mr Madden said he believed his client was on a “trend up” not a “trend down”.
He told magistrate, Terry Lucas, his client had not had a drink since he was charged and had dealt with “issues” he had at the time of the offence.
“At the time he had undiagnosed depression and anxiety,” he said.
Mr Lucas sentenced Richardson to a good behaviour bond for 12 months and disqualified him from driving for one year.
“It was five to 12 in the main street of Orange, if you drive in Orange on a weekend, you will be stopped,” he said.