A Lake Wyangan man will spend four years using an interlock device to start his car after he was convicted of high-range drink driving.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Liam James Greenaway, 24, came before Griffith Local Court on July 27 to be sentenced for the charges of driving while disqualified and high-range drink driving.
Greenaway plead guilty to the two charges in June.
At 11.30pm on May 11, Greenaway was driving a Nissan Navara along Mackay Avenue before turning into the parking area of the Yoogali Club.
Police approached the stopped vehicle with Greenaway still in the driver's seat, and officers said the engine bay was still warm and the keys were in the ignition.
He didn't supply a licence when asked, and when asked if he had been drinking he told officers he had "a couple earlier".
Greenaway was arrested following a positive breath test reading. A secondary test at the police station revealed a reading of 0.216.
Police later found Greenaway's licence had been disqualified following a conviction on March 16, 2022 for mid-range drink driving.
In Griffith Local Court, Greenaway's legal representative Olivia Harris said he had been working to address his problem with alcohol and had been seeing a drug and alcohol counsellor.
"He's very early in his journey of his rehabilitation," Ms Harris said.
Ms Harris said Greenaway acknowledged he had a problem with alcohol that he was battling and had taken steps to address it, and asked for his sentence to be served in the community.
She said Greenaway had left his job in the hospitality industry as it exposed him to alcohol.
IN OTHER NEWS:
"He's prepared to be sentenced to a full-time custodial sentence. If he can get his drinking under control he wouldn't come before court again," Ms Harris said.
Magistrate Brett Thomas convicted Greenaway of high-range drink driving and driving without a licence.
Mr Thomas sentenced Greenaway to 12 months jail, to be served in the community through an intensive corrections order with supervision.
"You know the position you've put yourself in," he said.
"If you offend again, you're not leaving the court with many options.
"The sooner you are on the interlock, the better."
Mr Thomas disqualified Greenaway from driving for nine months and he will have to use an interlock device for four years after regaining a licence.
Greenaway was also fined $900, will have to complete 150 hours of community service and is required to continue his drug and alcohol counselling.
"The court still expects you to continue counselling," Mr Thomas said.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark www.areanews.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Google News