Tabitha Sidrabs-Salt: Quakers Hill woman blew almost seven times the legal alcohol limit

An intoxicated woman who attempted to drive herself to hospital from the eastern suburbs was caught by police after mounting a gutter and blocking a narrow road.

Tabitha Sidrabs-Salt leaving Waverley Local Court on Tuesday.

A ‘highly intoxicated’ woman who started having a panic attack before hopping behind the wheel of a car, blew almost seven times the legal alcohol limit, a court has heard.

Tabitha Sidrabs-Salt of Quakers Hill appeared at Waverley Local Court with her father on Tuesday after pleading guilty to drive under the influence of alcohol.

The 34-year-old was brought to tears as she faced Magistrate Ross Hudson who read out the police facts which revealed Sidrabs-Salt was driving a vehicle in Edgecliff about 9.18pm on January 28.

He said she “mounted a kerb” and blocked a narrow street before blowing a “very high reading” of 0.346.

The court heard Sidrabs-Salt was “unable to follow simple directions” and police found a 10 pack of alcoholic cans in the car.

Tabitha Sidrabs-Salt’s matter was adjourned at Waverley Local Court on Tuesday.

Magistrate Hudson noted a previous matter on the 34 year old’s record from 2019 “which makes this a second offence”.

From the outset, Sidrabs-Salt’s lawyer John Sutton told the court about his client’s battles with mental health, including PTSD and anxiety.

In explaining the new matter, Mr Sutton said “she was at home alone [and] suffered an anxiety attack … for reasons” she can’t explain. He said she then decided to drive to hospital.

“Clearly this is a person who had lost inhibition and the ability to make clear … decisions,” Mr Sutton said.

“The roadside breath test … [shows] she was highly, highly intoxicated … she was so bad … that she was released into the care of the NSW Ambulance.”

Mr Sutton said his client had acknowledged the need for treatment and referenced tendered documents which outlined steps she had taken to see relevant health professionals.

The court heard Sidrabs-Salt had remained alcohol-free since the offence, albeit two drinks at a wedding which she felt “remorseful” about and brought to her doctor’s attention.

Mr Sutton’s “global submission” was to highlight his client had “suffered greatly psychologically, physically through abuse” and breaking her back – which he acknowledged was done while Sidrabs-Salt was intoxicated.

He said Sidrabs-Salt had a disease and drinks not to “enjoy herself” but instead it’s driven by illness and an attempt to “remove herself from our society”.

Mr Sutton said full time custody would do his client no good, nor society but Magistrate Hudson acknowledged the offence did cross the threshold for jail.

However, Magistrate Hudson noted Sidrabs-Salt’s troubled upbringing, highlighting material which outlined she began binge drinking at the age of 14.

The matter was ultimately adjourned under section 11 to August 14 for Sidrabs-Salt to make further progress with her treatment to effectively “take custody out of the hands of the court”.