Charmaine Maher of North Narrabeen sentenced for driving after two bottles of champagne
A woman who admitted to drinking two bottles of champagne before getting behind the wheel of her car on a Sunday afternoon, has been sentenced in Manly Local Court
Manly
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A woman who downed two bottles of bubbly in just three hours became a “threat” to other road users on the northern beaches after she got behind the wheel of her car on a Sunday afternoon, Manly Local Court has heard.
Charmaine Maher, 43, who was five times over the limit, was so drunk that another motorist had to grab her car keys after she was seen “swerving all over” Powderworks Rd at North Narrabeen.
Maher, who lives at North Narrabeen, pleaded guilty to high-range drink-driving on Powderworks Rd at 2.40pm on June 14.
She blew 0.278.
The court heard on Tuesday that at the time of the offence Maher was suffering with depression and alcohol abuse disorder.
Her solicitor Nicholas Hardy-Clements told the court that Maher and her husband had also been left reeling after becoming victims of fraud, resulting in the loss of two properties.
According to a facts sheet tendered to court, another driver witnessed Maher’s Subaru Forester, heading east on Powderworks Rd, swerve left into Alleyne Ave and hit the kerb.
The car then swerved back on to Powderworks Rd and again mount the kerb at the intersection with Taiyul Rd and “skid to a halt”.
“Other members of the community informed the witness that (Maher) had been swerving all over the road down Powderworks Rd,” according to the facts sheet.
“The male witness took the keys off the female driver to prevent her from driving further and called police.”
Maher got out of her, which had a flat front tyre, and asked for the keys back.
She told police that she had finished two bottles of champagne, at a park at Elanora Heights, between 11am 2pm.
Police prosecutor Nicole Peacock asked the court to jail Maher.
Sgt Peacock said there were aggravating circumstances as part of her offending including driving through a built-up residential area on a Sunday.
Magistrate Scott Nash described Maher’s driving as “very erratic” and told her that her extremely high alcohol reading made her more “morally culpable”.
He said she, and her car, were a “threat” to other road users.
While Mr Nash said Maher was a person of good character, was unlikely to drink and drive again and had difficulties in her personal life, she still had to be punished as a deterrence to her, and others, committing the same offence.
Maher was handed a six-month jail sentence, to be served in the community under the supervision of parole authorities.
She must also do 75 hours’ community service and was disqualified from driving for eight months.