SYDNEY - Television news executive Peter Meakin today admitted he did the wrong thing by drink driving, but it's not the first time he's been caught.
The Seven Network's head of news and current affairs pleaded guilty in Manly Local Court to mid-range drink driving, after being caughtbehind the wheel last October 4 with twice the legal amount of alcohol in his system.
Meakin was charged after returning a blood alcohol reading of 0.10 at North Narrabeen, on Sydney's northern beaches.
The 64-year-old had a previous conviction for the same offence, having driven with a blood alcohol level of 0.145 in November 2004.
He was fined A$1450 ($1670) for that offence, losing his licence for six months.
Serial drink drivers are a favourite target of Seven's flagship current affairs programme, Today Tonight, and Meakin today told reporters: "I accept that I've done the wrong thing".
"I don't want to go into any more explanations at the moment ... this case is still only half heard," he said outside court.
"I have pleaded guilty to one offence, but the matter's a long way from resolved so I'll just have to let legal proceedings take their course."
Meakin, whose licence was suspended on October 4, will defend two other charges laid over the incident.
He is accused of driving recklessly or dangerously and disobeying a signal to stop for a breath test, with police alleging he failed to pull over when signalled by an officer on the Wakehurst Parkway.
Meakin's lawyer, John Laxon, told the court that negotiations to have those two charges dropped were unsuccessful, and his client pleaded not guilty to both counts.
Magistrate Andrew George adjourned Meakin's case to the same court on February 15.
