A Port Macquarie man charged after he crashed his van onto Flynns Beach while under the influence of alcohol has been sentenced to a nine-month intensive corrections order.
Lachlan Camery, 25, pleaded guilty to driving with a high-range PCA.
He appeared before Magistrate Georgina Darcy on November 9 for sentencing.
Court documents show that Camery was driving a short distance from Pacific Drive to Flynns Beach about 2am on Sunday, September 18.
He lost control of the vehicle while driving down Tuppenny Road, causing the vehicle to roll down an embankment and onto Flynns Beach.
The accident caused "extensive damage" to the vehicle and it required towing from the scene.
The 25-year-old contacted police in relation to the accident.
Police arrived about 2.30am and observed the vehicle down on the beach with Camery standing in the vicinity of the vehicle.
Police noted glass panels on the vehicle were shattered and the roof had collapsed.
Camery told police he had been drinking throughout the previous night and said he lost control of the vehicle, but didn't know how he ended up on the beach.
Police performed a breath test on the 25-year-old and it returned a positive reading. He was placed under arrest and taken to Port Macquarie Police Station where he was subjected to a second breath analysis test which returned a reading of 0.175.
Camery told police he had consumed around five mid-strength beers, with officers observing him to be "well affected by alcohol" and noted him to be "unsteady on his feet and slurring his words".
His licence was subsequently suspended by police.
Magistrate's sentencing remarks
Magistrate Darcy said it's "good fortune rather than anything else that you're standing here today" when addressing Camery in her sentencing remarks.
"While it's a fairly short distance you were travelling, there could have been other road users out there," she said.
Magistrate Darcy said while there are likely to be fewer people out on the road in the early hours of the morning, Camery could have run someone over or lost control and run into someone's home.
"Then you wouldn't be standing here, you would be waiting to be sentenced in the District Court and facing years in custody," she said.
The court heard Camery had only had his provisional P1 licence for just over a month when the accident occurred.
"You were not supposed to have any alcohol in your system."
Magistrate Darcy said a sentence of imprisonment was required, however she has allowed Camery to serve the nine-month sentence by way of an intensive corrections order in the community.
The 25-year-old is also required to perform 100 hours of community service work. He has also been disqualified from driving for nine months, which has been backdated to September 18.
He must also install an interlock device on any motor vehicle he intends to drive for a period of two years once he's eligible to reapply for his licence in June 2023.
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