A high range charge with a crash
In this Manly high range drink driving case study, Joshua Boorman appeared at Manly Local Court on a high range drink driving charge. The final reading was 0.160.
What happened
Our client went to a friend’s place and drank vodka through the night. He planned to stay over, but before midnight he and his friend had a heated argument and he no longer felt welcome.
He made a very poor decision to drive home from Freshwater. On the way he crashed into three parked cars, causing a significant amount of damage. Police arrived, and the final blood alcohol reading was 0.160.
Luckily he was the only person in his vehicle, nobody was in the parked cars, and nobody else was involved.
About our client
- He is 27, single, with a two-year-old daughter.
- He is a qualified mechanic and works as a machinist on naval ships at Woolloomooloo, so getting to work and driving off site has been very difficult.
- He had been driving for about 11 years, but had held his unrestricted licence for only about 2 years.
- He had about six minor entries on his traffic record and no prior criminal record.
Joshua notes that the matter was significantly aggravated by the high reading and the crash. Our client also faces extra-curial punishment: he has to pay for the damage.
The outcome
- 9 months’ disqualification, backdated;
- the alcohol interlock program for 2 years, a mandatory order;
- a conditional release order with conviction; and
- no fine, because of the damages he has to pay.
Joshua describes this as a very good outcome given the reading and the crash.
What this Manly high range drink driving case study shows
A high range reading combined with a crash puts a matter at the more serious end. Even so, the court imposed a CRO rather than a fine, recognising that the person would be paying for the damage. The interlock order was mandatory. 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 high range PCA offence as a fine of $3,300 and up to 18 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.
- 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.
- Conditional release orders: The NSW Sentencing Council explains that a conditional release order (CRO) can be made with or without recording a conviction.
Further reading and related videos
Boorman Lawyers has more on appearing at Manly Local Court, the NSW high range drink driving guideline judgment and NSW alcohol interlock laws. Its Sydney site covers drink driving matters across Sydney courts.
On this site, see an Albury high range case with an interlock exemption and a Parramatta mid range case after a crash, 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 Manly 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.)
