Drink-driver said result was a ‘big surprise’

A police prosecutor told the court Leocata recorded a blood alcohol level of 0.147 when he was driving a Nissan ute on River Rd, Murchison, on August 11, 2024.

Leocata told police he “didn’t think he was over” the limit.

Representing himself in court, Leocata said the breath test result came as a “big surprise”.

He said it may have been because he didn’t have any food in his stomach the night before.

Leocata told the court he’d had a licence since he was 17 with no offences, and he’d driven trucks for 25 years.

Magistrate Simon Zebrowski said he accepted that the incident was a “one-off”.

Leocata was fined $600 and his licence was cancelled for 14 months, backdated to the day of the offence.