An adviser to the Tasmanian Premier has been convicted after crashing into a tree and then a parked car when he had almost four times the legal limit of alcohol in his system.
Andrew Malcolm Hudgson, 35, who came to Will Hodgman's office after a stint as adviser to Liberal Senator Michaelia Cash, pleaded guilty in the Hobart Magistrates Court to driving a motor vehicle while exceeding the prescribed alcohol limit and failing to have proper control of a vehicle.
The court heard Hudgson had been on his way from a night out at Salamanca to Kingston when he crashed into a tree in the middle of Regent Street in Sandy Bay in May.
His car then slammed into a parked car.
Hudgson had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.197 at the time, the court was told.
The court heard he had exchanged details with the other car owner at the scene and had expressed his remorse both there and later in writing.
As Hudgson's car was registered in Victoria and he was over the legal limit, the court heard his insurance company has refused to cover the damage and that Hudgson was paying out of his own pocket.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Michael Daley described the "very high reading" of 0.197 was indicative of the seriousness of the offending.
He disqualified Hudgson from driving for 15 months, backdated to the date of the crash in May, and fined him $1,200.
In a statement, a Government spokesman said "Mr Hudgson has been fined and had his licence suspended for a drink-driving offence".
"He is extremely remorseful, and he has accepted full responsibility for the matter.
"He remains an employee."
