Habitual criminal Aaron James Rinehart has been handed one last chance to keep out of full-time custody.
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That was the warning given to him this week by Albury magistrate Tony Murray when Rinehart appeared before him on a drink-driving charge.
Rinehart though won’t be able to get behind the wheel of a car for a long time, after his driving ban was extended to 2024.
Rinehart’s lengthy criminal record includes jail terms and other hefty penalties for a range of offences, though many centre on driving matters.
The 27-year-old was once jailed in South Australia for assault.
But Albury Local Court has heard that Rinehart has managed to turn his life around in that he was now in his first-ever job.
He was employed with a Wangaratta firm and, Mr Murray was told, was enjoying the role.
Rinehart will have to live in Albury with his mother though to be able to fulfil the requirements set down for the intensive correction order handed to him by Mr Murray.
That means he will continue to have to rely on his partner, who was a full-time stay-at-home mother, to drive him to and from work each day in Wangaratta.
Mr Murray described Rinehart’s record as “an appalling history” and said he “shouldn’t have been driving” given he was already disqualified from holding a licence until September 16, 2021.
He placed Rinehart on a 12-month intensive corrections order, with a minimum of eight months, as well as extending his driving ban by three years.
“Quite clearly that’s just about it. You’ve run out of chances. If you continue to offend, you’re going to go to jail.”
Rinehart, of Lavington, pleaded guilty to a second offence of driving with a mid-range prescribed concentration of alcohol.
The court was told how police were on patrol in North Albury on July 22 at 11.40pm when they saw a car travelling on Wantigong Street turn left into Bralgon Street and then into Gulpha Street.
They pulled the car over to give the driver, Rinehart, a preliminary breath test.
Rinehart told police he couldn’t produce a licence as he simply did not have one.
He gave a positive result to the test then later provided a blood alcohol reading of 0.088.
Rinehart had earlier drunk two cans of pre-mixed spirits between 10.30pm and 11.25pm.
His history includes offences in Queensland.
