A YOUNG man stopped by police while driving five passengers in a car in Bathurst having never held a driver's licence was arrested a month later driving with mid-range alcohol in his blood in breach of bail at Kelso.
Lawrence Bruce Murray, 19, appeared before Bathurst Local Court pleading guilty to two charges. He was convicted and ordered to enter a Section 9 good behaviour bond for a year as alternatives to jail over the offences, which occurred in September and October last year.
Conditions of the bonds imposed by Local Court magistrate Jan Stevenson order Murray, of Booth Street, Bathurst to report and be supervised by the Probation and Parole Service.
In addition, Murray was disqualified from driving or holding a licence for 12 months. to date from April 12.
Acting police prosecutor Sergeant Phillip Donato tendered statements outlining how Murray, who had never held a licence, drove a blue Holden Commodore with five passengers into McDonald's Restaurant about 1.15am on Friday, September 4.
At first he told police he didn't have his licence on him. But Murray then told police he did not have a licence.
In the second offence, about 10.40pm on October 26, police had run a routine check on whether Murray had been adhering to bail conditions, remaining home between 7pm and 7am, when they found him absent in breach of bail.
About 11.15pm a patrol in Bannerman Crescent observed a small grey Suzuki Swift ahead, police said. Murray had been found driving the car, his breath smelling of intoxicating liquor and he had difficulty standing unassisted. He returned a positive 0.140 mid-range blood alcohol reading.