A first offence at the top of the mid range
In this Mount Druitt drink driving case study, Joshua Boorman appeared at Mount Druitt Local Court on a middle range drink driving (PCA) offence. The reading was 0.129, towards the higher end of the middle range. It was our client’s first offence, and he had never been in any major trouble before.
What happened
In late September, our client went to a birthday celebration. He had his first drink at around 6 pm and his last at around 11.30 pm. He had a plan B in place: he left a little earlier than his friends and took a taxi home to St Marys.
As he got home, he received an urgent call from a friend. He had accidentally taken his friend’s keys to a work van. He made what Joshua calls a very impulsive decision, probably influenced by his intoxication, and drove back to return the keys.
On the way, he took a corner too wide and went out of his lane. Police pulled him over and breath tested him, and he was taken to Mount Druitt police station, where he recorded the final reading (the figure is stated earlier in the video as 0.129).
About our client
- He is 30 and works in construction, so he needs his car to get to different sites.
- His boss had not sacked him and was trying to work around his time off the road.
- He had about eight minor traffic infringements over 14 years of driving, mostly clustered in one five-to-six-year period, with no drug or alcohol offences.
- He had a completely clean criminal history.
Mount Druitt drink driving case study: how Joshua Boorman prepared the case
His best friend and his father came to court in support and provided letters. He wrote a letter of apology, with help, and his boss provided a letter. He completed the Traffic Offenders Program and handed up the certificate along with his notes from the course.
Joshua submitted that the decision to drive was impulsive and out of character. The magistrate said it was a very good thing that he had done the program and learned about the consequences of mixing alcohol and driving.
The outcome
An early plea of guilty was entered and the minimum disqualification was sought.
- the 3-month minimum disqualification, backdated to the date of the offence, leaving about seven weeks to serve;
- a $1,000 fine (Joshua notes the maximum is $2,200, so this was more than halved); and
- a mandatory alcohol interlock once he is relicensed.
Joshua explains that the interlock is a mandatory order for mid range and high range offenders and is run by Transport for NSW as a licensing matter.
What this case shows
Doing the right thing at first, then making one impulsive decision, is a common pattern in drink driving cases. Here, a clean criminal history, strong support and the Traffic Offenders Program led to the minimum outcome. Every case is different, and outcomes depend on the facts and the person’s history.
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: For a first mid range PCA offence, Transport for NSW lists a disqualification of 3 to 6 months, followed by an interlock period of 12 months.
- Sentencing options: At the lower end, a court can find an offence proved but not record a conviction, either by dismissing the charge or by making a conditional release order (CRO) without conviction.
Further reading and related videos
Boorman Lawyers has more on appearing at Mount Druitt Local Court, NSW alcohol interlock laws and NSW drink driving penalties. Its Sydney site covers drink driving matters across Sydney courts.
On this site, see a Gosford mid range matter with the 3-month minimum and a Parramatta 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 Mt Druitt page 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.)
Read the video transcript
Good day it's Josh Boorman here uh just at the Mount Druitt Local Court today where I've appeared on a middle range drink driving offence uh the reading was 0.129 so certainly getting up there towards the higher end of the middle range category um it was our client's first offence he's never been in any sort of major trouble before um the facts of the matter were this um in um late September my client um very nice guy uh very sort of uh
Quite nervous and um sort of humble sort of fell he had gone to a birthday celebration at a um venue in [unclear] Hill he had been drinking there he had his first drink around 6:00 p.m. his last drink around 11:30 p.m. he then did the right thing uh he put a plan B in place and almost executed it to a tee he got in a left a little bit earlier than his friends got into a taxi went home to where he lives in St Mary's
As he was getting home he got an urgent panicky call from one of his friends he was with he had accidentally picked up his friend's car keys to his work van and had them with him so he got got home he got out of the car he assessed the situation and unfortunately made a very impulsive decision probably one uh influenced by by his level of intoxication he decided to get into his vehicle and then drive back to where he had been earlier in the night to deliver
The keys that he had accidentally taken from his friend um unfortunately on the way back there he took a corner far too wide uh went out of his Lane that gave reason for the police to pull him over and they breath tested him positive reading took him back to the Mount Druitt police station where he uh recorded a final blood alcohol concentration reading of [unclear: '12 KN' in the captions; stated earlier as 0.129] definitely at the top end of the middle range category
So I mean my client works in the construction industry um he uh obviously needs his car to get to and from different construction sites his boss hasn't sacked him he's trying to work around in being off the road without a licence for some time um but you know to be off the road in to the sort of work that he does has been very difficult he's let a lot of people down he does have good um support from family
Friends his best friend and his father were here in support today they also tendered letters on his behalf he put together a letter of apology which we help help help him with that helped him with that and um and we got a letter from his boss as well so good pillars of support are in place for this guy in all aspects of his life um very out of character for him we did we did touch upon his traffic record he's 30 years of age he's been driving for about 14 years he does have a few entries there about eight more minor traffic infringements over a 14e period there's a cluster of them in in about a 5 to 6 year period there where he got the majority of those eight offences there's no other major traffic offences no drugs or alcohol related offences of any kind he has a completely clean criminal history up until
Now unfortunately but um it just did show he is a person of Prior good character um so that was taken on board and um uh we were able to submit that this sort of behaviour and was it was an impulsive decision for him to get into the car um and drive back uh to get his keys to his friends um it was out of character for him to make this poor decision um that he has gone
Done the Traffic Offenders Program we have a certificate to prove that with some uh notes that he took from that course and that was delivered to the court and the magistrate today um highlighted that it was a extremely good thing that he had gone and done and learned the darker side of the poor decisions that he had made in relation to this matter um and what what can certainly go on wrong on the roads when you're mixing uh alcohol
Driving so before the court this morning early plea of guilty was entered we presented all that material our submissions were well received by the magistrate we were pushing for the minimum disqualification which was granted by the court minimum of 3 months um licence disqualification was granted um it was back dat to the date of the offence which means my client has about 7 weeks left to serve on his D on his disqualification he was given a $1,000 fine the maximum fine is $2,200
So that was more than halved um but he does have to get an alcohol interlock device fitted into his vehicle once he gets his licence back that's a mandatory order it's a licensing issue run by the um service or transport New South Wales um but it is a a an additional flow on penalty and effect that um all um mid-range and high range offenders do have to um uh perform or their they're obligated to do the interlock program it's a very
Relieved and happy client today um he uh has a short period um to serve on his disqualification get the in to lock in get back on with his life I think it's extremely unlikely that this person will uh commit the same mistake again I don't think he'll be back before the criminal justice system again because um it just this poor decision it just didn't align with the sort of character that he he is and um he was kind of beside himself that he landed himself in this situation
So he's taken the matter very seriously and he can now move on with his life thanks for tuning in here at the the lovely Mount Druitt local courthouse um which uh is kind of a a bit of an Infamous spot in Western Sydney um but it's good to be back out here in the west doing our best thanks for tuning.
General information only, based on New South Wales law at the time of filming. Not legal advice — every case turns on its own facts. Past results don't guarantee future outcomes.
