Jasper Janson: Rosebery carpenter sentenced for drunken crash into Uber

A carpenter crashed his Mercedes into an Uber after having “nine or 10 beers”, with his lawyer telling the court his client tends to “drive when he drinks”.

A Sydney carpenter crashed his Mercedes into an Uber after admittedly having “nine or 10 beers” in the second drink-driving incident in three years, despite never holding an Australian driver’s licence.

That’s what Waverley Local Court heard as 31-year-old Jasper Janson’s lawyer told the court his client didn’t have a problem with alcohol, but tends to “drive when he drinks”.

According to agreed facts, Janson was driving his Mercedes 300 series along Doncaster Ave in Kensington about 11pm on July 30 when he tried to turn right onto Todman Ave.

He instead crashed into an oncoming Toyota Camry, which was an Uber with a passenger inside.

The facts read Janson had a green light – not a green arrow – which meant he needed to give way to the Uber. The crash damaged both cars but no-one was injured.

After being arrested, Janson told police he’d consumed up to 10 beers before getting behind the wheel and knew he shouldn’t be driving, the facts read.

Jasper Janson leaves Waverley Local Court after being convicted of drink driving.

An roadside alcohol breath test returned a positive mid-range reading of 0.143.

According to the court documents, Janson was only able to provide an old photo of a European licence and had lived in Australia for six years but doesn’t have a valid licence.

The Rosebery man had previously been charged with middle range drink driving in 2019.

Magistrate Ross Hudson said Janson’s references recalled he was “otherwise professional and competent” and never missed a day’s work, but couldn’t understand how he thought he could get in the car and drive at 11pm after drinking that much.

“You weren’t focused on the road, your focus was to get home because you were drunk,” he said.

Janson was convicted of mid-range drink driving, driving while being never licenced and not giving way to an oncoming vehicle, all of which Janson pleaded guilty to.

Janson was sentenced to a 15-month community correction order and fined $550.