Thomas Frank Somerville in Bathurst Court for drink-driving

Thomas Frank Somerville, 68, of Durham Street, Bathurst pleaded guilty in Bathurst Local Court on July 12, 2023 to mid-range drink-driving.

Police went to the corner of Morisset Street and Hope Street in Bathurst about 7.50pm on April 9, 2023 following reports of a motor vehicle crash, court papers said.

When police arrived, they said they saw a white Ford Ranger parked head first into a kerb, with the vehicle's rear sticking out into oncoming traffic.

Somerville was still in the driver's seat with the engine running when officers got to the driver's side door.

The court heard Somerville was asked for his licence before he told police he had one beer prior to the crash.

Due to a medical condition preventing him from doing a breath test, Somerville was taken to Bathurst Base Hospital where a blood sample was taken for an alcohol reading.

After forensic analysis, Somerville's blood sample returned a positive reading for alcohol of 0.134.

A self-represented Somerville told the court during sentencing he did not understand why his reading was so high before he suggested his blood sample had, allegedly, bumped up the numbers.

Somerville also told the court "there was no accident".

"Well, perhaps it's just that you don't know how to park a car," Magistrate Elizabeth Ellis said.

"It's not good driving, probably because of your reading. It's almost into the high range."

Ms Ellis said Somerville had three prior PCA matters on his record which made it clear, in her view, that Somerville "hasn't learnt from past mistakes".

Somerville was disqualified from driving for three months.

He was also ordered to have an alcohol interlock device installed in his vehicle for 12 months.

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