A man who drank port before driving to the supermarket saw his life spiral out of control after he was stopped by police, Bendigo Magistrates' Court heard on Monday, October 9.
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The man faced court and did not contest charges of refusing a preliminary breath test and exceeding the prescribed blood alcohol content.
According to the prosecution, the accused was dishevelled, unsteady on his feet and smelt of liquor when he was stopped by police in Brooke Street, Inglewood at 6pm on June 14.
He told them he had drunk two mugs of port at the nearby caravan park where he was staying and was on his way to the IGA to buy groceries.
At the police station the man was found to have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.097 and was immediately banned from driving.
But two days later, just before 5pm on June 16, Bendigo police intercepted him on Marong Road.
While they were checking his vehicle's registration the man got out of the car and approached them in an erratic manner, the court heard.
He was abusive towards the police, and despite being warned of the serious consequences refused to undergo a preliminary breath test.
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"I'm a f***ing idiot and I don't care," he allegedly told officers.
"It's worthless, pointless; it's not going to help me and will make things worse."
He was fined $1425 and had his vehicle impounded for that offence.
In court the man became emotional when he explained that two days after the incident he had tried to commit suicide, and together with his dog, had been capsicum-sprayed by police who arrived at the premises.
He had resisted the officers, he said, because he didn't realise they were police.
"That's despicable for me to have descended to the depths of hell," he said.
"It's hurt me, it's hurt my kids."
He had "hidden away so much stuff in [his] life" and was unable to do so any longer, he told Magistrate Megan Aumair.
He was now seeking mental health treatment but was facing a delay of several months to access services.
The magistrate advised the man to see the situation as an opportunity to make positive change.
A former long-term Department of Defence worker and a Landcare volunteer, he had "a lot to contribute", she said.
On the charge of refusing a preliminary breath test, the magistrate said she was required to cancel his licence and disqualify him from driving for four years.
On the charge of exceeding the prescribed blood alcohol content, she disqualified his driver's licence for 18 months to be served concurrently with the four-year disqualification.
In addition, Magistrate Aumair put the offender on a 12-month "promise" of good behaviour, with a requirement to receive drug and alcohol treatment and get a mental health care plan.
She also ordered he make a $500 donation to the Murray Mallee Landcare Network.
"That's extremely poignant, your honour. I like that," he said.
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