Pemberton man with drink-driving record warned to not ‘push luck any further’

A Pemberton man has been warned to not push his luck any further as he avoided jail after two more driving convictions were added to his record. Scott James Hawkins, 29, pleaded guilty to two driving offences relating to an incident on June 2 when he appeared in Manjimup Magistrates Court on Thursday. He was charged with driving without a licence — which had been suspended — and having a blood alcohol content reading of 0.091. The court was told at 3.30pm on June 2, Manjimup police saw Hawkins driving a LandCruiser on to his partner’s sister’s verge, before switching seats with a female passenger when officers approached the vehicle. Police ordered Hawkins to take a breath analysis test, which returned a reading of 0.091, and it was determined his licence had been suspended — with the offending also breaching an intensive supervision order. Hawkins told the court he had been driving because he was helping to tow firewood. Magistrate Robert Young said the man had a history of driving offences and the current order “should have been a warning shot”. Mr Young said Hawkins had been caught “many times” driving while disqualified. He said it was clear a “pattern” was emerging, which could be detrimental because “what sent people to jail was persistence”. He told Hawkins not to “push ... luck any further” and fined the man $850, placed him on a suspended jail term for 12 months, and said his order would continue. Hawkins was also ordered to pay $272.70 in court costs and will face a further nine month licence disqualification.