Australian-Media.com.au News

• Meakin "delighted" to avoid jail

  December 18 2007 1:17pm (UTC+8)  -  Article by Kevin

  Seven News boss Peter Meakin says he is delighted to have avoided spending time in jail, after he successfully won an appeal over a drink driving charge yesterday.
  
  Meakin was charged earlier this year with dangerous driving after he was caught driving while under the influence and recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.1 - double the legal limit. He had been convicted of drink driving on two previous occasions - once in 2001, and again in 2004.
  
  He was sentenced to 14 months of weekend detention in May, after Manly Local Court magistrate Jane Culvert accepted evidence that he had deliberately driven at two police officers at the road breath test unit.
  
  NSW District Court Judge Helen Morgan overturned that decision, instead ordering Meakin to perform 250 hours of community service.
  
  Whilst Judge Morgan dismissed Meakin's appeal against the dangerous driving charge, she said there was no evidence he had deliberately driven at the two officers. If it was found that Meakin had driven at the officers, Judge Morgan said that she would have sentenced him to a full-time custodial sentence.
  
  Meakin has rejected suggestions that he was lucky.
  
  "I've done the wrong thing and I think I'm paying a reasonable price for it" he said.
  
  "I feel like I've been fairly dealt with".
  
  His license has been suspended until 2014.
  
  Australian-Media.com.au

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