A "simply outstanding" driving record has come in for some serious punishment after a Lavington man downed five schooners of full-strength beer in 90 minutes before driving home.
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Until that December evening, defence lawyer Angus Lingham told Albury Local Court, Kendall James Klein had done nothing wrong in his nine years of holding a licence.
Mr Lingham said it was conceded this was a "very serious offence".
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Klein, 26, pleaded guilty this week to a charge of driving with a high-range prescribed concentration of alcohol.
"It's four times the legal limit," magistrate Richard Funston said of Klein's reading of 0.2.
"Four times the legal limit on a Friday after work."
Mr Funston said the message "has got to be loud and clear" on stopping people committing such offences.
"It's quite a lot of drinking, isn't it?" he asked Mr Lingham.
"His first drink at 6pm, last drink at 7.30."
Mr Funston then turned to Klein, asking him what he had learnt from completing the traffic offenders' program.
"That I'm responsible for my actions," Klein replied, adding that he was now acutely aware of how what he did could endanger other people on the road.
The court was told that police were driving east on Kaitlers Road, Springdale Heights, on December 6 at 7.43pm when they saw a blue Commodore sedan heading in the opposite direction.
As they got closer, the other car suddenly veered sharply towards their vehicle.
Klein over-corrected his car back into his own lane, police said, and "in doing so, he has mounted the south-bound kerb and come to a stop".
Klein got out and was seen to be staggering on the roadway. He gave a positive breath-test reading.
Mr Funston disqualified Klein from driving for six months and convicted and fined him $1000.
"Live and learn by it," he said.
