A senior constable attached to a Southern Region command has been granted the minimum penalty after being caught drink driving with a mid-range blood-alcohol reading.
Benjamin James Stevenson, 39, appeared in Wollongong Local Court on Tuesday, May 5, where he pleaded guilty to driving with a prescribed concentration of alcohol (PCA) of 0.111.
Representing himself, Stevenson told the court he was determined to "improve and move forward" following the incident.
According to court documents, Stevenson was stopped for a roadside breath test in the Cringila Hotel car park on Lake Avenue about 6.20pm on March 25, 2026. After returning a positive result, he was arrested and taken to Wollongong Police Station, where a secondary test confirmed the 0.111 reading.
Court papers said Stevenson told officers he had consumed four "self-poured" glasses of vodka and juice over a five-hour period at his Flinders home.
Sentence
While Judge Williams described the reading as "well above mid-range," he noted he was "impressed" by Stevenson's otherwise unblemished driving record. The court heard the offence was "out of character," as Stevenson had not recorded a single speeding or red-light infringement since obtaining his provisional licence in 2010.
Judge Williams said the sentencing was a "risk management exercise" and that it would be rare for an offender with such a high reading to avoid a conviction. He was convicted and received the minimum sentence with a fine of $250, disqualification period of three months and interlock period of 12 months.
