Natalie Kaglatzis Belrose Hotel carpark: Woman six times limit when she crashed her car at pub
A northern beaches woman who ‘put people at risk’ when she crashed her car in Belrose Hotel carpark has pleaded guilty to drink-driving at six times over the limit.
Manly
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A woman who smashed up her car while trying to reverse out of a locked northern beaches pub car park has pleaded guilty to being six times over the limit when she got behind the wheel.
Now, Natalie Jane Kaglatzis, 48, of Frenchs Forest, is being assessed for home detention after a night out at the Belrose Hotel ended with her being arrested just after midnight on July 7.
She has been in custody on remand ever since.
Kaglatzis, who was described in Manly Local Court on Tuesday as being a “good person” with a chronic alcohol problem, had been at her local pub for drinks after attending her grandmother’s funeral.
Just after midnight she jumped into her Mazda 3 sedan and reversed it 20 metres before crashing hard, backwards, into the car park’s boundary fence. The rear of the car was substantially damaged.
The hotel’s manager was able to stop her driving any further before police were called.
When officers arrived Kaglatzis said repeatedly to them: “Do you want to play?”
At Frenchs Forest police station she blew 0.306 and was remanded in custody. She is still in the Silverwater remand centre.
Her Legal Aid solicitor, Fiona Hadlington, told the court that Kaglatzis, who appeared via video link, had a longstanding problem with alcohol that was exacerbated by the breakdown of a relationship in 2019. Kaglatzis also alleged she had been the victim of domestic violence.
“It was the day of her grandmother’s funeral,” Ms Hadlington said. “
Kaglatzis told the court she had been in alcohol rehabilitation but had lapsed “when my nan died”.
“I don’t ever drink and drive,” she said.
Police prosector Adrian Walsh urged the court to sentence her to full-time jail because she deliberately drove to the hotel to drink and then drive her car home.
Sgt Walsh said if she was not jailed Kaglatzis could be out in the community “making poor and rash decisions” that could put people in danger.
Magistrate Michelle Goodwin asked: “What’s she doing driving around, putting people at risk, at this level of intoxication?.
“At that level, I was surprised you were conscious, let alone driving a car.”
Ms Goodwin said it was fortuitous that Kaglatzis did not hit anyone with her car, which the Magistrate described as a “weapon” in the hands of a drink driver.
Ms Goodwin adjourned the matter for sentence until August 19 to allow Kaglatzis to be assessed for home detention.
Bail was not applied for.