P-plater Cory Aitken, 19, sentenced in Tamworth court for drink driving for second time

Tamworth Local Court heard Cory Aitken had downed beers at a barbecue before getting behind the wheel earlier this month with his girlfriend in the passenger seat.

The 19-year-old was supported by his father when he fronted court for sentencing on Monday after pleading guilty to driving with a special-range blood alcohol reading.

The court heard it was the second time since he got his licence that he had been caught over the limit.

"He is remorseful," defence solicitor Dan Daley said.

He submitted the teenager had had three mid-strength Great Northern beers at a barbecue.

He said Aitken had blown a low blood alcohol reading of 0.041 in a roadside breath test - within the legal limits for a fully licenced driver - but acknowledged it should have been zero.

Mr Daley accepted it was somewhat aggravating that Aitken had a passenger in the car at the time, but told the court he had been pulled over for a random stop.

"Nothing to bring him to the attention of police," Mr Daley said.

The court heard the heavy vehicle diesel mechanic often moved vehicles around at work.

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Magistrate Julie Soars said it was clear that with a second strike against his name, Aitken was "not fully understanding" that his licence was a privilege.

She told the court inexperienced drivers had different rules for a reason.

"P-drivers are over represented in these offences on the road," Ms Soars said.

She told Mr Daley she would go against him on a request for a non-conviction, which he said he understood.

"I know it will cause him some problems with his employment but it will make him think twice before he does it again," he said.

Ms Soars said there was an after-work drinking culture in some professions but people couldn't afford to get caught up in it.

She told Aitken she'd seen in the chemist recently that an alcohol test could be picked up for about $4.

"Treat your licence like gold, it's a privilege not a right," she said to him.

He was hit with a $580 fine, disqualified from diving for a month and must have an interlock device fitted for a year.

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