Irwin Matthew Detlefsen of Walcha Road pled guilty to the charge of driving at a high level PCA (prescribed concentration of alcohol) . 

The  28 year-old man was fined $1,200 by magistrate Michael Holmes and given a community correction order for 12 months. He was also disqualified for driving for six months and ordered to participate in an alcohol interlock program for two years.

“This means he will have to get a device fitted to his vehicle that he must blow into before he drives,” explained Walcha Police sergeant Anthony Smith.

On 11.20pm on Thursday September 13 local police were patrolling the  Walcha township when they noticed a vehicle travelling west on Fitzroy Street. They stopped the vehicle which was driven by Detlefsen and gave him a breath test that then returned a positive reading. Back at the Walcha Police Station Detlefsen’s breath analysis returned a blood alcohol concentration reading of 0.167 – more than three times the legal driving limit.

Detlefsen admitted to drinking five cans of beer and two cans of rum earlier that evening before he was stopped.

Harley Jon Hay from Uralla appeared on a special range PCA charge. Hay was given a conditional release order for 12 months and did not lose his license. Police stopped the 17-year-old just after 8am on Sunday September 16 at Wollun Road  in Wollun. After a positive breath test result Hay was taken to Walcha Police Station where he returned a blood alcohol concentration reading of 0.36. Hay said he had attended a party in Woolbrook the night before and had got up early to drive home.

Frances John Coulter  of Walcha pled guilty to possessing a prohibited drug and was given a $250 fine.

Coulter was seen by police  coming out of an address in Walcha known to them at 9.30pm on Thursday August 30. Police stopped the 49-year-old and a subsequent search located a small quantity of cannabis.

Murray Elvin Worth of Niangala pled guilty to possessing an unauthorised firearm, possessing an unregistered firearm and not keeping a firearm safe.

Worth was given a conditional release order without conviction for 12 months.

On July 3 police had attended Worth’s residence where the 49-year-old surrendered the firearms to them.