Drunk driver Bradley Swan blames diabetes for crash

A lawyer for a man who was caught drink driving after being spotted travelling on the wrong side of the road before crashing into a gutter said his driving was affected by hypoglycemia.

Bradley Swan has faced sentencing after pleading guilty to drink driving. Picture: Julia Kanapathippillai

A man who crashed his car while drunk has attempted to blame the situation on his diabetes.

Bradley James Swan faced the ACT Magistrates Court for sentencing on Tuesday after previously pleading guilty to drink driving.

Prosecutors told the court on the evening of March 25, last year, Swan was seen driving on the wrong side of the road by a witness.

The witness called police before Swan crashed his vehicle into a gutter at 11.24pm.

He was arrested after a roadside breath test returned a positive result for alcohol.

Bradley Swan blew a BAC of 0.143 after he crashed his car. Picture: Julia Kanapathippillai

A subsequent breath test came back with a BAC of 0.143 which is towards the high end of level three drink driving.

Swan told police he had a pint of beer and some more alcohol, with officers stating he appeared intoxicated.

Swan’s lawyer told the court shortly after his arrest his client was taken to hospital because he had hypoglycaemia.

He said the diabetic episode had also impacted Swan’s driving.

Bradley Swan was transported to hospital after having a hypoglycaemic attack after he was caught drink driving. Picture: Julia Kanapathippillai

The lawyer read out a medical report that stated Swan was a then 47-year-old with type 1 diabetic who had an insulin pump.

The report said earlier that day Swan had very little to eat and drank shots and beer prior to the incident.

“What’s the effect of that?’ Magistrate Lisbeth Campbell said.

“I’m not a doctor.

“I don’t know (about) drinking alcohol when you’re an insulin dependant diabetic.

“It might be the last thing (you should) do.”

After the lawyer told the court Swan had been diagnosed at 10 years old, Magistrate Campbell said “he should have known full well what he should and shouldn’t do”.

“You need to eat regularly and alcohol is not encouraged,” she said.

The lawyer said his client grew up in Brisbane and lived in Queensland until 10 years ago when he moved to Canberra.

He said Swan received the Disability support pension and lived with his girlfriend of five years.

The lawyer said Swan agreed he did the wrong thing by drinking and driving and said he agreed there was no excuse for his actions.

He told the court his client had served a 90 day instant suspension notice without incident.

Magistrate Campbell fined Swan $400 with three months to pay and disqualified him from driving for seven months.