Brian Philip Hunt seven times the limit

A 60-year-old man left a magistrate in “disbelief” and broke just about every rule in the book when he caused a crash on Read Street in Rockingham. Brian Philip Hunt was found to be more than seven times the blood alcohol limit and with THC in his system, after he caused a crash in an unregistered vehicle while not holding a valid driver’s licence. Hunt pleaded guilty at Rockingham Magistrate’s Court last week to driving under the influence of alcohol, driving with an illicit drug in his blood, no authority to drive and using an unlicensed vehicle on the road. Police prosecutor Robert Coales told the court about 7pm on September 27, Hunt was driving north along Read Street in Rockingham, when he crashed into the back of another vehicle. Neither driver was seriously injured when police arrived at the scene, but they discovered Hunt’s car was unlicensed and he had not held a driver’s licence since 2007. His licence had been cancelled after a drink-driving offence and he had failed to renew it. They sent Hunt to Rockingham Hospital for blood tests, which revealed his blood alcohol level was 0.338g, just over seven times the legal limit. The tests also proved Hunt had 12g/L of THC in his blood. Hunt told the court he had been drinking beer at the Leisure Inn before he decided to get behind the wheel. Magistrate Leanne Atkins said she was “in disbelief” that Hunt was even able to walk to the car, let alone drive and said it was “disgraceful behaviour”. She said he clearly had “an appalling disregard for the safety of the community” because he chose to get behind the wheel in such a state and she was “stunned” he thought it was appropriate behaviour at his age. Ms Atkins told Hunt he would not be able to apply for a licence for nine months for driving an unlicensed car and 36 months for driving under the influence. She also handed out a seven-month prison term, suspended for a year so he could complete programs to help with his alcohol and drug problems.