Stephen Henry Edwards fell asleep at the wheel before recording blood alcohol reading of 0.238

A man was so drunk he fell asleep at the wheel before returning a blood alcohol reading nearly five times the legal limit — his fifth drink-driving offence.

First a man fell asleep behind the wheel with his seatbelt on and the keys still in the ignition, then he pretended to be asleep back at the police station to avoid giving a breath test.

Stephen Henry Edwards, of Tumbi Umbi, faced Wyong Local Court on Monday where he pleaded guilty to high range drink-driving.

His lawyer told the court the 61-year-old ran a finance company before an assault left him with “cognitive deficits” and he was now working a couple days a week as a casual sales assistant.

He said Edwards suffered PTSD and was grieving the loss of his mother and ex-wife, both to cancer, when he turned to alcohol.

Stephen Henry Edwards, 61, of Tumbi Umbi, was convicted for his fifth drink-driving offence after falling asleep behind the wheel. Picture: supplied

An agreed set of police facts states on Monday, September 14, 2020 officers received a radio broadcast for a driving complaint about a white Kia Carnival that was being driven by someone who was possibly intoxicated.

“The broadcast also stated that the witness had followed the vehicle for some time and the vehicle had stopped and was on the side of Enterprise Drive, Fountaindale, and the male accused was slumped over the steering wheel,” the facts state.

Police located the car and pulled up behind it.

“Police walked up to the driver’s door and sighted a male seated in the driver’s seat still restrained by the seatbelt and the keys in the ignition,” the facts read.

Police found Edwards slumped over the steering wheel of his car on Enterprise Drive, Fountaindale. Image: Google Maps

“Police also sighted the male to be resting on the over the steering wheel,” the facts state.

“Police knocked on the accused window and the male seated in the driver’s seat attempted to open the window but struggled to open the window of the vehicle.

“The male struggled to take any form of direction from police and a while later the male opened his door. Upon opening the door police smelt and extremely strong smell of alcohol emitting from the accused. Police also observed the accused to have red bloodshot eyes and he was slurring his speech when spoken to.”

Edwards told them he had driven there from work.

Stephen Henry Edwards, 61, of Tumbi Umbi, leaving Wyong Local Court. Picture: supplied

Back at the police station the facts state “he turned himself into an awkward position in an attempt to block his airway and put his hands around his throat and said `I can’t breath’.”

He then pretended to be asleep but opened his eyes briefly when an officer performed a sternum test and quickly shut them when he noticed police were watching him.

Police called an ambulance and paramedics checked him and stated “he was completely healthy and had all normal observation and was pretending to be asleep”.

He was taken to Wyong Hospital where a blood sample was taken, which returned a reading of 0.238.

Edwards pretended to be asleep and could not give a breath test back at the police station so officer had to take him up to Wyong Hospital where they took a blood sample. (File image)

The court heard it was his fifth drink-driving offence including high range in 1982, low range in 1984, mid range in 2009 and low range in 2012.

Magistrate Chris Longley said if it were not for medical reports and his personal circumstances, including the loss of his mother and ex-wife, he would have sent him to jail.

“How you did not have some form of a collision I do not know,” he said.

Magistrate Longley put Edwards on a two-year community corrections order with 100 hours of community service work and a condition that he abstain from alcohol.

He also disqualified him from driving for 12 months.