Maroubra man Scott Griffiths sentenced for mid-range drink driving

A drink driver told a court he “did not intend to drive” after police busted him snoozing behind the wheel at traffic lights in Sydney’s east.

Scott Griffiths was sentenced in Waverley Local Court on Wednesday.

A drink driver told a court he “did not intend to drive” after police busted him snoozing behind the wheel at traffic lights in Sydney’s east.

Scott Griffiths, 33, appeared in Waverley Local Court on Wednesday where he pleaded guilty and was sentenced for mid-range drink driving.

Documents tendered in court state police noticed a Hyundai Accent idling at an intersection at Maroubra shortly before 6am on July 6.

Officers approached the car and saw Griffiths reclined and sleeping in the driver’s seat.

Griffiths, of Maroubra, woke up after police knocked on the window with officers immediately smelling a “strong odour of intoxicating liquor” as the offender opened the door.

Scott Griffiths leaving Waverley Local Court on Wednesday. Picture: Amaani Siddeek

Documents state Griffiths was unsteady on his feet and slurring his speech.

Griffiths was arrested and taken to Maroubra Police Station after blowing over the limit on a roadside breath test.

The offender told police he had been drinking since the previous evening and wasn’t sure how much alcohol he had consumed.

At the station, he recorded a reading of 0.118 – more than two times over the legal 0.050 limit.

In court on Wednesday Griffiths said: “All I can do is apologise.”

“I had no intention of driving,” he said.

Magistrate Jacqueline Milledge said since he was found at the traffic light, he “must have driven” and questioned whether Griffiths was “so intoxicated (he) had no idea”.

Ms Milledge added Griffiths’ actions “could have put lives at risk”.

Griffiths was ordered to pay a fine of $1200 and disqualified from driving for three months backdated to the time of the incident.

When he returns to driving he will require an interlock device for 12 months.