AN Albury magistrate has issued a warrant for a sporting identity who has failed to appear on a high range drink-driving offence and other traffic matters.
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Tony Murray rejected a written application by former Collingwood footballer and Lavington coach Neville William Shaw to have his sentencing adjourned until after September 29.
Mr Murray said Shaw has failed to attend court since January and there have been repeated adjournments .
Solicitor Mark Cronin appeared for Shaw on one occasion and cited health problems as a reason for adjournment.
Shaw, 41, of Eastern Circuit, was convicted in his absence on the drink-driving matter with a warrant issued.
He was fined a total of $1500 on charges of driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle, unlicensed driving and failing to have a child under 16 restrained in a vehicle.
Shaw played for Collingwood with brothers Ray and Tony before moving to Albury where he coached and played for Lavington in the Ovens and Murray football league.
Mr Murray was told Shaw was stopped by police in Dick Rd, Lavington about 5.40pm on December 18 last year.
Police did a radio check on his vehicle and discovered it was unregistered.
When police spoke to Shaw, he smelt strongly of alcohol and a roadside breath test was conducted and returned a positive test.
Police asked him to produce a driver’s licence and he then gave them a Queensland licence which had expired on September 23, 2004.
There were six people in his Hyundai vehicle which was capable of carrying five.
Police saw a child, 8, sitting on the passenger floor between the legs of the woman front seat passenger.
Shaw was arrested and taken to the police station where a breath analysis gave a reading of .180.
He admitted to police drinking six stubbies of heavy beer at home between 10am and 1.30pm and had a minimal amount to eat.
Shaw’s licence was suspended and police found that his vehicle’s registration expired on June 10 last year.
Police said that they believed he was well affected by alcohol and was driving an overloaded vehicle.
There were three young children in the vehicle, an infant and two adults.