Qld: Decorated police officer convicted of drink-driving

AAP General News (Australia)
12-21-2007
Qld: Decorated police officer convicted of drink-driving

BRISBANE, Dec 21 AAP - A police officer who was more than three times over the legal
alcohol limit when he crashed his car was a diligent officer who had acted out of character,
a court was told today.

Senior Constable John Hutton, 34, registered a blood alcohol level of 0.176 after crashing
his vehicle into a parked car and a fence at Shorncliffe, in Brisbane's north, in the
early hours of December 17.

The father of three was off-duty and returning home from a charity barbecue when the
accident happened, Brisbane Magistrates Court was told.

Hutton told the arresting officers he had consumed "a few beers" before he got behind
the wheel, an act he said was out of character.

Court papers show Hutton, currently completing the last phase of a detective training
course, had previously been awarded a medal for ethical and diligent service to the police
force.

Magistrate Jim Herlihy disqualified Hutton's licence for 11 months and fined him $1,100.

Hutton still faces a Queensland Police Service disciplinary hearing over the incident.

AAP dmc/lc/it/nf

KEYWORD: HUTTON

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