Brendon James Bennett: Albany man avoids prison for blowing over three times the legal limit

An Albany man who blew over three times the legal limit and had to be dragged out of his vehicle by police officers, has narrowly avoided prison. Brendon James Bennett had been driving without a valid licence after it was disqualified in Albany Magistrates Court on August 15, 2023 when he was pulled over by police on November 22, 2024, and blew a blood alcohol reading of 0.171. As police repeatedly told him to exit the vehicle, the 41-year-old tried to start the ignition, forcing officers to forcibly remove him from the car and handcuff him. He pleaded guilty to no authority to drive, driving a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, and obstructing public officers in Albany Magistrates Court on January 3, marking his fifth conviction for no authority to drive. Magistrate Tanya Watt said Bennett had shown a repeat disregard for road laws and would not benefit from the Alcohol and Other Drug Diversion Program, blocking Legal Aid duty lawyer Jamie Archer’s request for a referral. “Quite frankly, if you’re driving around at 0.171, you’re showing complete disregard for laws,” Ms Watt said. Mr Archer said the father of four has voluntarily self-referred to Palmerston for assistance with illicit drug use. Police prosecutor Sgt Warrick Walker said Bennett had significant needs in terms of illicit substance and alcohol use and a long history of noncompliance of road traffic rules on his record. Ms Watt took into account Bennett’s guilty pleas, and self-referral to Palmerston supported by his employer. He was placed on a seven months’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, with program and supervision requirements, fined $3000 and disqualified from driving for two and a half years.