Matthew Nathan Kentwell, 30: Builder flips car at Seaforth after a few beers ‘to help me sleep’

A boozy Sydney builder — three times the limit — flipped his car on his way to work just five hours after having a few beers to “help me sleep”. See what the court did with him.

Michael Nathan Kentwell, 30, a construction worker of Dulwich Hill, leaves Manly Local Court on Wednesday, where he was convicted of high range drink driving and negligent driving after crashing his car at Seaforth while on his way to work on August 31. Picture: Manly Daily

A boozed-up Sydney builder crashed into a wall and flipped his car on his way to work just five hours after having a few beers to “help me sleep”.

Matthew Nathan Kentwell, 30, was three times over the legal alcohol limit when he drove his Toyota Corolla from the city’s Inner West towards a job site on the northern beaches early on a Thursday morning.

Kentwell, of Dulwich Hill, told Manly Local Court on Wednesday that he fell asleep at the wheel before the car slammed into the sandstone wall along six-lane Manly Rd at Seaforth, just north of the Spit Bridge, at about 2.20am on August 31.

The Corolla ended up on its roof. Kentwell was not injured.

Michael Nathan Kentwell, 30, was fined a total of $2000 and disqualified from driving for 10 months. Picture: Manly Daily

Kentwell, who represented himself in court, told Magistrate Christopher Longley, that he had downed several beers to help him fall asleep the night before the crash.

In a police facts sheet tendered to the court, police stated that when he was interviewed at Manly police station after his arrest, he told officers he had “two or three” cans of Pure Blonde beer between 8pm and 9pm.

He blew 0.155 when breath tested at the police station.

Kentwell told the court that he had been driving to an address in Fisher Rd, Dee Why, when the car crashed.

Kentwell lost control of his Corolla on Manly Rd, Seaforth, just north of the Spit Bridge. Picture: David Swift

He pleaded guilty to one count each of high range drink driving and negligent driving.

Mr Longley convicted Kentwell of both charges.

“You are fortunate to be standing there (in court) seemingly uninjured,” Mr Longley told him.

The magistrate said it was also fortunate that no other member of the public had been hurt.

Kentwell was fined $2000 on the drink driving charge, placed on a Community Correction Order to be of good behaviour for 18 months and disqualified from driving for 10 months.

He was also fined $500 for the negligent driving offence.