A magistrate says two Warrnambool motorists were selfish when they caused separate crashes while driving drunk nearly two years ago.
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Christopher Bateman-Venning and Rebecca Croft pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Monday to drink driving and other offences.
The court heard Croft was travelling east on Raglan Parade on September 22, 2020 when she struck a reflective post about 9pm.
She continued driving before again veering off the road, colliding with a power pole which was connected to a wooden fascia of a residential property, causing significant damage.
The damage bill for both the house and the power pole was in excess of $5400.
Police attended and Croft blew .178.
When questioned, she told police she'd been drinking cask wine and knew she would be over the legal limit.
Magistrate Franz Holzer said Croft was lucky the matter wasn't being heard in the coroners court.
"It is very, very fortunate we aren't talking about different consequences for your offending, in circumstances where your decision to drive could have caused loss and harm to others," he said.
He ordered the woman to pay restitution to the victims, stating there was "no reason they should bear that cost when it's your selfishness that caused the damage".
She was convicted, fined $500 and disqualified from driving for two years.
Meanwhile, Bateman-Venning left his Warrnambool home on the night of October 21, 2020 after a verbal argument with his mother who didn't want him to drive because he was drunk, the court heard.
He drove his silver Nissan Navara at excessive speed on Aitkins road about 9.30pm, causing the vehicle to lose traction at a sweeping right-hand bend.
Police believe he travelled in excess of 70 km/h in a 50km/h zone.
Bateman-Venning veered over a nature strip, causing his rear wheels to slide for about 60 metres before colliding with a concrete power pole.
The P-plater was transported by ambulance to Warrnambool Base Hospital where he returned a blood alcohol content of .104.
The court heard the man was immediately remorseful, admitting to police that he shouldn't have been driving.
"As soon as I hit the wrong side of the road, I thought about other people," he told police.
"I hope I didn't hurt anyone else".
Bateman-Venning told police he had consumed bourbon and beer in the hours before the accident, as well as cannabis and coke however the drugs were not detected in his blood.
He said he couldn't remember much of the accident due to the force of the crash.
He suffered moderate injuries and had glass removed from his scalp.
The court heard he had a relevant prior criminal conviction and was subject to a mandatory 20-month licence suspension.
Magistrate Holzer said drink driving was selfish and community safety and common sense was "paramount".
Bateman-Venning's licence was disqualified and he was convicted and fined $1250.
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