Coen Michael Wells, 28, pleaded guilty in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court online to charges of drink driving and driving without properly effective headlights.
Prosecutor Senior Constable Sarah Halnon told the court police spotted Wells driving without his headlights on in Welsford St, Shepparton, at 2 am on December 1 last year.
The court heard when police stopped him on the Midland Hwy, a breath test showed a blood alcohol content reading of 0.153.
Wells told police at the time “I had one beer – just one”, Sen Const Halnon said.
The court heard Wells did not have any criminal or traffic prior history.
Representing himself in court, Wells said his biggest regret was how the loss of his driver’s licence since that night had affected him work-wise.
“I had to move back to Shepparton (area) for work,” he said.
“Just walking to work every morning and back has affected me.”
He told the court if he went to the pub for a meal now he would not have a beer with it.
In handing down the sentence, magistrate Mary-Anne MacCallum said Wells’ driving had been “a tremendous danger to the community”.
“Driving a motor vehicle is a privilege and not a privilege to be abused in this fashion,” she said.
Ms MacCallum backdated Wells’ 15-month licence suspension to start on December 1, 2019, when the offence occurred.
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