A DRINK-DRIVER has been jailed after he breached a suspended sentence with his fifth drink-driving offence in five years.
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Billy Joe Hodgetts, 27, of Cressy, drank 12 stubbies in about seven hours and chose to drive.
Hodgetts had previously pleaded guilty in the Launceston Magistrates Court to drink-driving while unlicensed.
On Wednesday, defence counsel Rohan Foon conceded his client had breached his suspended sentence, but argued the jail term should not be activated because his client had made efforts to rehabilitate himself.
Magistrate Michael Brett said it was Hodgetts’ fifth drink-driving offence since 2010.
Hodgetts recorded a breathalyser reading of 0.111 – when he should have had no alcohol in his system – at Nile on July 11 about 11.30pm.
Mr Brett said Hodgetts’ suspended sentence had been lenient and he activated the 28 days’ jail.
He also cumulatively imposed four months’ jail for Hodgetts’ new offending and suspended the last two months for 12 months.
Mr Brett then placed Hodgetts on a probation order and disqualified him from driving for two years.
Earlier, police prosecutor Natalie Clark said Hodgetts had received a suspended sentence after he was involved in a road rage incident at Kings Meadows on June 18, 2013.
Mrs Clark said Hodgetts later crashed into a chain link fence near the Australia Post Youngtown depot, shearing a pole off its base, and he also left his front bumper bar and number plate at the army barracks.