Vance Malan, 70, of Beacon Hill: Five times over the limit when he nearly crashed into cop car

A quick drive to the local bottle shop to top up his wine supplies ended with a northern beaches’ retiree, 70, nearly hitting a police car and blowing five times over the limit.

Vance Seakele Malan, 70, of Beacon Hill, outside Manly Local Court on Wednesday, where he was convicted of high range drink driving after nearing colliding with a police car. Picture: Manly Daily

A drunk northern beaches’ retiree was on his way back home with more chardonnay from the local bottle shop on a Saturday lunchtime when he almost crashed into a police car.

Then after accelerating through traffic lights showing amber, Vance Seakele Malan was breath tested.

The 70-year-old from Beacon Hill blew 0.260 — five times the limit.

Malan was in Manly Local Court to be sentenced on Wednesday where he pleaded guilty to one count each of high range drink driving; not give way to vehicle when leaving driveway and; not stop before yellow traffic light.

Vance Seakele Malan, 70, of Beacon Hill, outside Manly Local Court on Wednesday He was disqualified from driving for nine months. Picture: Manly Daily

Magistrate Robert Williams told Malan that he should be jailed for the offences. Instead, Malan, who did not have a solicitor, was handed a 15-month Intensive Corrections Order, which allows him to serve the jail term in the community. but supervised by parole authorities.

He was also disqualified from driving for nine months and fined a total of $1200.

The court had heard earlier that at 1.42pm on Saturday, June 17, police patrolling on Frenchs Forest Rd East, at Frenchs Forest, saw Malan drive his Subaru Outback right from the driveway at the Dan Murphy’s bottle shop.

The Dawn Murphy's bottle shop at Frenchs Forest. Picture: Supplied

The officer behind the wheel of the patrol car had to break to avoid colliding with Malan’s vehicle.

Police then turned on their car’s lights and sirens before seeing Malan increase his speed to 45km/h to run through the amber light at the intersection with Patanga Rd.

Vance Seakele Malan, 70, of Beacon Hill, outside Manly Local Court on Wednesday. Picture: Manly Daily

According to a police facts sheet tendered in court, Malan pulled over soon after and said to the police: “I’m in big trouble. I’m over the limit”.

He told officers that he had downed two glasses of chardonnay at his home before driving to the bottle shop to buy more.

Malan apologised to the magistrate for his offences.

“I’m ashamed of myself and my behaviour that particular day,” he said.