A 53-year-old homeless man was sentenced to three months’ jail today after failing to have a court-mandated alcohol interlock fitted in his car.
Tom Nguyen pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court to breaching the conditions of an alcohol interlock program.
Police apprehended the accused on March 6, 2017 at 11:40am on the corner of Spring and Bourke St, after he was seen operating a mobile phone with both hands while driving.
Upon pulling Nguyen over, police discovered he had failed to install an alcohol interlock to his car.
Sergeant Sue Field of Victoria Police told the court an alcohol interlock was ordered to be fitted to Nguyen’s vehicle from July 4, 2014 to December 31, 2099.
When asked by Victoria Police why it had not been placed earlier, Nguyen said “I don’t have the money”.
Nguyen had previously been caught drink driving on five separate occasions, with this being the third time he had been caught without an alcohol interlock in his car.
He was also required to have a blood-alcohol reading of zero for a period of three years, commencing from July 4, 2014.
“I don’t have accommodation, you can put me in jail. No house, I don’t care,” Nguyen said to Magistrate Luisa Bazzani.
The Honda Civic Nguyen was driving was not registered by VicRoads.
Nguyen was also fined $300 for operating a mobile phone in a vehicle without a hands-free device, without stay.
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