Ourimbah: Disqualified driver Adam Alexander Simpson, 45, blew 0.235 on Australia Day

A man, disqualified from driving until 2042, was stopped half naked on the M1 motorway and later blew 0.235 in what a magistrate described as “sheer luck” he didn’t kill someone.

A magistrate said it was “sheer luck” Adam Simpson didn’t kill someone before he was stopped on the M1 with a blood alcohol reading of 0.235. (File image: Sue Graham)

A man, who has never held a licence and was banned from driving for nearly 20 years, terrified motorists on the M1 motorway when he tried to drive home from “somewhere up the coast” on Australia Day and later blew 0.235.

Adam Alexander Simpson, of Tallawong, near Blacktown in Western Sydney, faced Gosford Local Court last week where he was jailed for four months.

Magistrate Kirralee Perry said it was “sheer luck” the 45-year-old didn’t kill himself or someone else when he drove so drunk he couldn’t even remember where he had come from.

The court heard police started getting panicked calls from motorists on the M1 motorway on Australia Day about the driving of a maroon Holden Colorado ute.

Ms Perry said the vehicle was seen “veering all over the road across multiple lanes of traffic on the M1 and tailgating other vehicles”.

Simpson was jailed when he faced Gosford Local Court last week. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

An agreed set of facts states police took up a position at Ourimbah.

“Around 5.10pm police observed the accused to drive the motor vehicle in a southerly direction on the M1 motorway,” the facts state.

Australia Day traffic was busy at Ourimbah. (File picture)

“Police directed the accused to stop his vehicle using the lights and sirens fitted to the police vehicle. The accused did not immediately stop and continued for about 1km before he finally stopped his vehicle.”

Officers approached Simpson who was alone in the car.

“The accused was only wearing shorts with no shoes or shirt,” the facts state.

“He was slouched in his seat. His eyes were bloodshot and glassy and there was a strong smell of intoxicating liquor on his breath. There was an open can of Woodstock Bourbon, half empty, in the drink holder immediately to the right of the steering wheel.”

Simpson had a half-empty can of bourbon in the drink holder.

Police asked Simpson for his licence but he said “I don’t have one”.

Officers called for another police car and while they waited they had a conversation with him in which they formed the belief he was very drunk.

“It was apparent he was seriously affected by intoxicating liquor, he was slouched and leant over in his set, his speech was slurred and he was incoherent,” the facts state.

“He appeared unable to understand instructions. The accused was unable to articulate where he had come from only able to say `somewhere up the coast’.

Simpson said he was driving home from “somewhere up the coast”. (File picture: Adam Head)

“While at the scene police were contacted by the accused’s spouse Stacey who told police ‘I am glad you finally got him, I have been waiting for this day’.”

Simpson failed a roadside test and was taken to Gosford Police Station where he returned a reading of 0.235.

Checks revealed he had never held a licence and was disqualified from obtaining a licence until May 2042.

“Traffic on the M1 was moderate to heavy with Australia Day and other holiday traffic making their way to various locations,” the facts state.

Magistrate Perry said this was Simpson’s third drink-driving offence after convictions in 2015 and 2011 and his twelfth time busted driving while disqualified.

He was also on a community correction order at the time for an unrelated offence, which included a condition that he not consume alcohol.

“Clearly nothing has worked in the past,” she said as she sentenced him to jail.