Court Report

A Ferntree Gully labourer found employment at a winery after being charged with drink driving twice in the past ten years. Lyndon Burgess was granted his license without restrictions yesterday at the Ringwood Magistrate’s Court, after having an interlock system in his car for six months. Mr Burgess said his drinking habits had improved and he was now only drinking once a week. “I was drinking four to five times a week, but I feel much better in the mornings now,” he said. When asked if he would be tempted to drink on the job, he said he “hated the stuff”. The Magistrate said he was the “perfect employee” for a winery. In another drink driving case heard on the same day, a 25-year-old Colston man was given a 6-month interlock period after driving with over 20 standard drinks in his system. Mr Mason’s license was disqualified for two years and since he has undergone counselling sessions with his GP. Mr Mason said he was now down to drinking 1-2 drinks a week. The Magistrate said in an interview with the police on the 11th of September, Mr Mason said he was still drinking 2 stubbies every night. Mr Mason said he was “taking slow steps” and had in reality had five beers last week. Mr Mason waited until two years after the application date to apply for his license because he had and intensive correction order and $2,500 to pay. Mr Mason said he bought himself a personal breathalyser and knew that if “you drink and drive, you’re a bloody idiot.” “It is time for me to grow up, I have seen too many friends die from alcohol abuse,” he said. “I watched a video about drink driving where a man went through an intersection and killed a child, that could have been me.” Mr Mason was ordered to have an interlock system installed into his car for a period of six months.