A drunk and negligent driver on his provisional licence was "mortified to find himself before the court" after he was fortunate not to have killed himself and his best mate when he rolled a ute in inner Canberra.
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Just before 1am on April 8, Kaleen man Benjamin Joseph Griffiths rolled a Ford Ranger onto its roof on the corner of Murdoch Street and Northbourne Avenue in Lyneham, a statement of facts tendered to the ACT Magistrates Court on Wednesday reads.
When police arrived, they saw paramedics assessing Griffiths' best friend, who was a passenger and who had suffered head injuries, while the offender sat on the ground next to him.
When police asked him what happened, Griffiths "made spontaneous utterances that he had been drinking, was driving home and he tried to change lanes but spun out and rolled in the wet conditions".
The offender and his friend were taken to the Canberra Hospital where medical staff concluded they did not sustain severe injuries.
An analysis of a compulsory blood test given at the hospital revealed Griffiths' alcohol concentration reading was 0.104g per 100ml, which was level three.
He attended Woden Police Station and was given a copy of the results and had his licence suspended for 90 days.
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Griffiths fronted court on Wednesday for sentencing after pleading guilty to negligent and drink driving.
His lawyer, Carley Hitchins, said he was "extremely fortunate that neither he or his passenger, his best friend, was not significantly injured or killed".
However, she said her client, who works as a casual butcher assistant and electrical apprentice, was cooperative with police and helped get his friend out of the car while he waited for emergency services.
"He cannot recall how many drinks he had consumed before driving but admits he knew he was too intoxicated to drive," Ms Hitchins said.
"The decision to drive turned out to be much more expensive and inconvenient for Mr Griffiths than getting an Uber home."
She said this was the first time Griffiths came into contact with the criminal justice system and he was "mortified to find himself before the court".
The court heard the offender described the incident as "a nightmare, very scary and life changing".
A reference letter by his friend said Griffiths was always a sensible person who did the right thing.
"I'm instructed this incident has made them closer," Ms Hitchins said.
Prosecutor Mark Wadsworth chose not to make oral submissions.
Magistrate Robert Cook said Griffiths had put himself, his friend and other road users "at a lot of risk".
"It seems to me you understand fully the implications of what it is you did on that night," Mr Cook said.
Griffiths was convicted and fined $1500 with six months to pay. He was also disqualified from holding a licence for five months.
"Best of luck going forward," Mr Cook told Griffiths, who was supported by family in court.
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