A Bocoble man who crashed his car into a fence after a night at the pub and then told police his car was stolen has been convicted.
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Paul Andrew Burke pleaded guilty in Mudgee Local Court on August 2 to making a false statement to police and not paying for damaged property.
Court documents reveal the 55-year-old was drinking at the Gold and Fleece Hotel at Windeyer between 5pm and 11pm on May 21 this year where he consumed between six to eight drinks.
The court heard that Burke got into his vehicle around 12am and drove into Mudgee via Hill End Road.
Burke lost control of the vehicle when he reached the Hill End Road and Castlereagh Highway intersection at Caerleon. The vehicle left the roadway and damaged a property boundary fence.
Police arrived at the scene after receiving reports but could not locate Burke, who had left the site of the crash and went to a home on Perry Street.
The next day Burke called police and said his vehicle - he claimed to have parked at his Bocoble home at 5pm - had been stolen the night before.
The court was told police went to the Perry Street address and took Burke's statement.
Burke told police he had left the vehicle unlocked with the keys in the ignition before going to bed about 10.30pm and only became aware that it had been stolen at 2.40am on May 22.
Upon further investigation, police learned Burke had been drinking at the Gold and Fleece Hotel on the night of May 21. Police obtained CCTV of him drinking and leaving in his vehicle.
On the evening of May 25, police spoke with Burke regarding the matter where he admitted to driving and crashing his vehicle.
Burke also admitted to making a false statement to police and filing a false stolen report, the court heard.
During sentencing in open court, Burke's solicitor Simon Flynn said his client offered to pay for the damage the day after the accident but the property owners had already repaired the fence.
"Mr Burke confronts the 'facts' squarely. He accepts he was trying to avoid criminal liability ... he's aware of the consequences," Mr Flynn added.
"Police have enough to do without trying to sort things out where people have just lied, and that's what you did," Magistrate Kasey Pearce told Burke in open court.
Burke was convicted and sentenced to an 18-month community correction order and fined $330.
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Jay-Anna Sleeman
Reporter for the Western Advocate. First began as a sports journalist with ACM in 2018 before moving on to cover news and court.
Reporter for the Western Advocate. First began as a sports journalist with ACM in 2018 before moving on to cover news and court.
