Darwin Journalist Charged for Drink Driving

Thursday May 7, 2009

The editor of the Northern Territory News in Darwin was pleaded guilty to drink driving and has had his licence disqualified.

Julian Ricci, 46, was fined $350 and lost his licence for six months as a result of being charged for a mid-range drink driving offence on December 20, 2008.

Ricci was pulled over at a random breath test unit on Tiger Brennan Drive in Darwin in the evening. That same night, police found 51 drink drivers in Darwin City.

"On the night in question I went out for an evening with my partner and had no intention of driving home," Ricci told the court in Darwin.

"We had made other plans to get home but they fell through.

"... after that we waited at a taxi rank for 45 minutes but no cabs turned up.

"Having said that, I make no excuse for my actions to drive that night and ... accept any punishment Your Honour deems appropriate."

Ricci gave an early guilty plea and had an unblemished 29-year driving record until this charge.

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