Michelle Louise McCall caught drink driving with child in car
An aspiring firefighter and ‘hardworking mum’ has been sentenced after she was caught drink driving while her child slept in the back of the car in Sydney’s southwest.
Liverpool
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A southwest Sydney mum and aspiring firefighter has been sentenced for mid-range drink driving while her son slept in the back seat.
Michelle Louise McCall, 37, appeared before Liverpool Local Court on Friday where she pleaded guilty to mid-range drink driving.
Police were conducting random breath testing on the M5 off-ramp on Heathcote Rd in Moorebank about 2am on February 16 when they directed the Wattle Grove resident to stop for a test.
According to documents tendered to court, McCall did not comply and only pulled over after the testing site.
When officers spoke to her, they noticed a sleeping child in the back seat.
McCall was given a roadside breath test and returned a positive reading before being arrested for a breath analysis.
“Police could smell intoxicating liquor on her breath and observed her to be cooperative and talkative,” the police fact sheet read.
“The accused’s eyes were bloodshot and watery.”
She told police she had drunk six glasses of wine between 6.30pm and 12.30am.
A subsequent breath analysis returned a reading of 0.09 and McCall’s licence was suspended on the spot.
Her solicitor on Friday told the court she was remorseful, did not have prior convictions and was “incredibly unlikely to reoffend”.
The court heard she had dedicated two years of her life to securing a job with Fire and Rescue NSW, which could be jeopardised if a conviction was recorded.
Magistrate Holly Kemp said she was satisfied McCall was “wholly and utterly remorseful” for her actions, noting it was her “first and undoubtedly, perhaps, last time” before the court.
She said McCall, who has completed a traffic offenders program, was a “hardworking mum” and “wholly respected” by all who knew her.
However, Ms Kemp said a conviction must be recorded due to the seriousness of the offence.
“She’s not just over the limit. She’s mid-range,” she said.
McCall was convicted and issued a $500 fine. She was also sentenced to a disqualification period of three months and an interlock licence period of 12 months.
McCall will appeal the sentence on April 6 at Parramatta District Court.