The Lawyers at Benjamin & Leonardo appear regularly before criminal Courts for persons charged with drink driving offences.If you are convicted of a drink driving offence in NSW, you will lose your driver’s licence, you will receive a fine, you may even face imprisonment and you will leave Court with a criminal record. However, if your lawyer can persuade the Court to not record a conviction you will not be penalised and you will be able to keep you driver’s licence. This is otherwise known as a section 10.
What is PCA?
PCA stands for Prescribe Concentration of Alcohol. It is the amount of alcohol measured in grams per 100mL of blood. This reading will be printed on the section 33 Certificate which is given to you at the Police Station (usually an A4 piece of paper with blue print which has a receipt like strip of paper attached to it).
Offences
Depending on what class of driver’s licence you hold, you can be charged with the following offences:
- Novice Range PCA- 0.001 to 0.019.
- Special Range PCA- 0.02 to 0.049.
- Low Range PCA- 0.05 to 0.079.
- Mid Range PCA- 0.08 to 0.149.
- High Range PCA- 0.150 and above.
Penalties
| 1st Offence | Maximum Fine | Maximum term of Imprisonment | Disqualification Period |
| Novice Range PCA | $1100 | none | Automatic Period- 6 months
Minimum period- 3 months |
| Special Range PCA | $1100 | none | Automatic Period- 6 months
Minimum period- 3 months |
| Low Range PCA | $1100 | none | Automatic Period- 6 months
Minimum period- 3 months |
| Mid Range PCA | $2200 | 9 months | Automatic Period- 12 months
Minimum period- 6 months |
| High Range PCA | $3300 | 18 months | Automatic Period- 3 years
Minimum period- 12 months |
| 2nd Offence (within 5 years) |
Maximum Fine | Maximum term of Imprisonment | Disqualification Period |
| Novice Range PCA | $2200 | none | Automatic Period- 12 months
Minimum period- 6 months |
| Special Range PCA | $2200 | none | Automatic Period- 12 months
Minimum period- 6 months |
| Low Range PCA | $2200 | none | Automatic Period- 12 months
Minimum period- 6 months |
| Mid Range PCA | $3300 | 12 months | Automatic Period- 3 years
Minimum period- 12 months |
| High Range PCA | $5500 | 2 years | Automatic Period- 5 years
Minimum period- 2 years |
Benjamin & Leonardo Criminal Defence Lawyers specialise in drink driving offences. We will dedicate the time to your case to ensure it is properly prepared and you have the best chance of receiving a great result.
Some law firms will assign an inexperienced junior lawyer to conduct your case. Don’t take your chances, contact a Partner from Benjamin & Leonardo Criminal Defence Lawyers to organise your FREE conference now.
