A 55-YEAR-OLD farmer convicted of high range drink-driving has been warned if he re-offends he will be sent to jail.
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Garry Sole, from Guyra, fronted Armidale Local Court on Monday after driving with a blood alcohol reading of 0.203.
He received a nine-month suspended sentence, with Magistrate Karen Stafford warning Sole if he was to appear again within nine months he would be going to jail.
He was also disqualified from driving for two years.
After sentencing Sole was escorted to the police cells, where he was made to wait until his bond was finalised.
Magistrate Stafford told him to sit and reflect on the offence and realise if he was to appear before her again he “won’t be sitting and waiting for paperwork… but taken to jail”.
The court heard Sole had consumed three beers and six rum and milks at a friend’s place in town on October 24.
He then drove despite his friend offering him a place to stay for the night and having the option to call a taxi.
Sole’s defence solicitor said his client was upset after his father’s death in June and just wanted to go home.
Sole was supported in court by his mother, who was unwell and her son was her only caregiver.
In considering an appropriate sentence for Sole, Magistrate Stafford highlighted it was not the first time Sole has been charged with drink-driving offences, the last being another for high range PCA in 2000.
Magistrate Stafford asked him to seriously consider the strain on his mother if he were to be sent to jail.
“What good are you to her then?” she said.
She said she needed to consider the best way to protect the community from Sole and the only way to do that was to impose some form of jail term.
She was also unimpressed Sole chose to drive because it was “more convenient for you than waiting for a taxi”.
“It is unbelievable that you thought you were able to get behind the wheel of a car,” Magistrate Stafford said.