Stewart McMillian, 43: Balgowlah driver five times over when he crashed his car into the back of a ute

A driver who made the “stupid” decision to drive while he was five times over the limit – and then crashed his work car on the northern beaches, has been sentenced in court.

Stewart McMillian, 43, of Balgowlah, leaving Manly Local Court on Wednesday, after being convicted of being five times over the limit when he crashed his car early on a Sunday night in February. Picture: Manly Daily

A former delivery driver who was five times over the limit when he crashed his car while reaching down for his mobile phone, has been sentenced in Manly Local Court.

Stewart McMillian, 43, had several “big” wines before he tried to drive from Narrabeen to his home at Balgowlah, the court heard on Wednesday.

McMillian, who an unblemished driving record since he arrived in Sydney from the United Kingdom in 2016, said he got behind the wheel because he didn’t want to leave his work’s van at his mate’s place where he been drinking on a Sunday afternoon.

Stewart McMillian, 43, of Balgowlah, leaving Manly Local Court on Wednesday, after being convicted of high range drink driving. Picture: Manly Daily

“I’ve never done anything as stupid in my life,” he told Magistrate Robyn Denes.

“I could have killed other people, never mind myself.”

he said he had lost his jobs as a logistics delivery driver as a result of the charge.

The court was told that McMillian had been visiting a friend at Narrabeen on February 5 this year, and drinking wine, before driving back towards Balgowlah.

“They were big ones,” McMillian said

While driving in Smith St, Allambie Heights, his mobile phone, which was on the passenger side of the MG hatchback, “beeped”.

He told police he reached for the phone and that the car then veered to the left.

The MG slammed into the rear of a parked Ford Falcon ute, according to a police facts sheets tendered to court.

Officers found McMillian uninjured, but note he was looking incoherent and glassy eyed.

“Yeah, I had two or three wines,” he told police.

McMillian blew 0.266.

Stewart McMillian, 35, of Balgowlah, leaving Manly Local Court on Wednesday. He was fined $1000 and disqualified from driving for nine months. Picture: Manly Daily

Magistrate Denes told McMillian that she couldn’t work out, given his level of intoxication, how he found the key to the car, or actually found his car.

Ms Denes said the fact that he crashed his car while five times over the limit aggravated the offences of high-range drink driving.

“This is as bad as it gets,” she told him.

While Ms Denes said she accepted McMillian’s remorse and contrition were real, she jailed him for nine months, but he will serve the sentence in the community under a supervised Intensive Corrections Order.

He was also ordered to do 80 hours’ community service, was fined $1000 and disqualified from driving for nine months.