A PLEA in the Orange Local Court by Steven John Back to allow him to keep his licence so he can continue to work at the crematorium fell on deaf ears on Thursday before magistrate Bruce Williams.
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Mr Back represented himself in court, saying he didn’t think three glasses of wine would put him into the low-range PCA category for which he was charged by police after failing a random breath test.
“I need my licence to run the crematorium,” Back told Mr Williams.
Mr Williams told Back it wasn’t possible to let him off.
“Someone else will have to do your job for three months,” he said.
“The minimum is six months but I have the option to reduce it to three.”
After Back told the court he had a couple of prior convictions for speeding, Mr Williams disagreed.
“I can see here on your record you have had seven speeding offences - one of them for driving while you were using your mobile phone,” he said.
Mr Williams told Back guessing it would be safe enough to drive after consuming alcohol wasn’t good enough.
“When you take a punt it is the safety of the public you are taking a punt with,” he said.
Back, however, continued to ask for leniency.
“Can’t I just have a fine?” he asked the magistrate.
“I’m afraid that’s not possible,” the magistrate told him.
Back then put another suggestion to the court as an alternative to losing his licence.
“Can I just go back on to my Ps?” he asked.
Mr Williams denied the request, telling Back he would be able to get back on track if he didn’t drive for three months and then reapplied for his licence.
Back was also fined $400.