The front-seat passenger in his car let off a fire cracker very early on November 9, just as a police car arrived on the scene.

The officers followed Ludbey’s car and, when they stopped him, they found he smelt of beer and registered a blood alcohol reading of 0.082.

Ludbey, 23, of Indigo Valley, pleaded guilty in Albury Local Court yesterday to a charge of middle-range drink-driving.

“If there was an offence of stupidity, you would be guilty of that,” magistrate Tony Murray told him when imposing a $600 fine and disqualifying Ludbey from driving for two years.

Solicitor Travis Johnson said Ludbey had consumed 10 to 12 heavy beers.

The police had just turned from North Street into Young Street about 2am.

They saw a flash of light on the eastern footpath near Tribune Street and heard a loud explosion as a black hatchback drove off.

They stopped the car and spoke to Ludbey about the explosion.

He produced a Tasmanian driving licence and police smelt alcohol.

Ludbey denied he had been drinking but a preliminary breath test proved positive.

He was arrested and taken to the police station where Ludbey claimed he had had just two beers.

Mr Johnson said Ludbey had moved back to the region from Tasmania and was working in Wodonga.