A BENDIGO man has lost his licence for 11 months after he recorded a blood alcohol reading more than double the legal limit.
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The 22-year-old man appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court on Monday where he pleaded guilty to the drink-driving charge.
The court heard shortly after 1am on April 12 this year, police saw the man driving a white Ford Ranger along Arnold Street in Bendigo.
The officers intercepted the driver on Nolan Street. The man produced a valid NSW driver's licence to officers.
An evidentiary breath test showed he had a blood alcohol reading of 0.119, which was more than double the legal limit.
The man admitted to drinking eight cans of beer at the footy and then four or five schooners at the pub between 3pm and 11pm the day prior.
The 22-year-old told police he knew he was "pushing it" but he needed to get to work.
Defence lawyer Jonathan Brancato said the man had made a "foolish decision", which put himself and other people in the community in danger.
Mr Brancato said the offending was a "significant wake-up call" and the 22-year-old knew his licence was a privilege, not a right.
The defence lawyer said the man worked as a livestock broker and needed to travel more than 70,000km per year for work so losing his licence would be particularly challenging.
Mr Brancato said the man had entered a guilty plea at an early stage, which showed his remorse.
Magistrate Trieu Huynh said the man should have known not to drive so soon after drinking excessively.
Mr Huyhn fined the man $750 without conviction. The man's licence was also cancelled and he was disqualified from driving for 11 months.
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