A high mid range reading in south-west Sydney
In this Bankstown drink driving case study, Boorman Lawyers appeared at Bankstown Local Court, in south-west Sydney, on a middle range drink driving offence. The reading was 0.130, which Josh Boorman describes as getting up there in the middle range category.
The client was a 52-year-old woman, originally from Vietnam, who has lived in Bankstown and Sydney for about 35 years. Our lawyer describes her as a well-entrenched member of the community.
What happened
She and her husband went to dinner at a friend’s place in Chester Hill, where she had three glasses of wine. Josh notes they were obviously very large glasses to produce a reading of 0.130. She decided to drive home, a trip of about 10 minutes.
Police mentioned that she went through an orange light, but our lawyer says it was effectively a random breath test, because she was not charged with anything else. She was cooperative with police. Her husband was a passenger in the car.
A good record
Josh says the good thing for her was her traffic history. In 35 years of driving she had six minor traffic infringements, no prior major traffic offences and no criminal record. That showed the court the decision to drive was very out of character, and she could rely on her good record to ask for some leniency.
Preparing for court in this Bankstown drink driving case study
She completed the Traffic Offenders Program, which showed the court her willingness to re-educate herself about driver safety. She also provided references, including one from a family member, and a letter of apology showing genuine remorse.
Our lawyer asked the court to reduce the disqualification to the minimum of three months, to reduce the fine, and to backdate the disqualification to the date of the offence, when she was put off the road.
The outcome
Josh says the magistrate described the submissions as very sensible and pragmatic and agreed with the requests. She received:
- the 3-month minimum disqualification, backdated;
- a $750 fine; and
- the mandatory 12-month interlock program, as the law requires.
Our lawyer says this was the outcome he had told the client he was pushing for, and a very good outcome given how high the reading was and that she had a passenger. It was her first time before a court, and she was very relieved.
What this case shows
A long, clean driving history, a completed traffic program and genuine remorse can all help a court see an offence as out of character. Even so, a mid range reading still brings a mandatory interlock order. Every case is different, and outcomes depend on the facts.
Key general information (NSW)
General information only, not legal advice, as at October 2026. Every case turns on its own facts.
- Drink driving (PCA) offences: In New South Wales most drink driving charges are “prescribed concentration of alcohol” (PCA) offences under the Road Transport Act 2013 (NSW).
- The broad penalty picture: As one example, Transport for NSW lists the maximum court-imposed penalty for a first mid range PCA offence as a fine of $2,200 and up to 9 months’ imprisonment (as at October 2026).
- The Alcohol Interlock Program: A zero alcohol limit applies to all interlock drivers, and a person who receives an interlock order but does not enter the program is disqualified for 5 years.
- Intervention programs and deferred sentencing: Fines in NSW are expressed in penalty units, and the Sentencing Council notes that a penalty unit is currently $110.
- The court process: Drink and drug driving charges in NSW are usually dealt with in the Local Court.
Further reading and related videos
Boorman Lawyers has more on appearing at Bankstown Local Court, NSW drink driving penalties and the NSW Traffic Offenders Program. Its Sydney site covers drink driving matters across Sydney courts.
On this site, see a Manly mid range case at the same reading and a Liverpool mid range case, or browse all NSW and drink driving videos.
For people who are preparing to plead guilty without a lawyer, DIY DUI’s guide to drink and drug driving charges at Bankstown covers the local court and plea process. (DIY DUI is a self-help program for people preparing their own guilty plea. It is not legal representation and is not part of Boorman Lawyers.)
