Erin Ruth Smitheram, 36, pleads guilty to driving with ‘extremely high’ blood alcohol reading of .379 per cent

A Gold Coast chef who blew 0.379 per cent – one of the highest drink-driving readings in Queensland history – has been punished after pleading guilty in Southport Magistrates Court.

A Gold Coast chef who recorded one of the highest drink-driving readings in Queensland history has been banned from the road for almost two years.

Erin Ruth Smitheram, 36, pleaded guilty in Southport Magistrates Court on Monday to drink driving with an ‘extremely high’ blood alcohol reading of .379 per cent.

The court was told police were called about 7pm on March 23 this year after reports of a car swerving on The Parkway at Hope Island and hitting other vehicles.

Smitheram’s car was parked in by shopping centre security guards on Masthead Way when officers arrived.

Erin Smitheram conceals her face as she enters Southport Magistrates Court where she pleaded guilty for drink driving. Picture: Richard Gosling

She was breath-tested and taken to the local police station where she recorded the whopping reading.

Defence lawyer Ashkan Tai told the court it was an ‘extremely, extremely serious example’ of high-range drink-driving.

Mr Tai said Smitheram was ‘extremely grateful’ no-one was hurt and there was not more damage and she took the offence ‘extremely seriously’.

The lawyer said his client was on medication for anxiety and depression as a result of a troubled childhood and domestic violence but acknowledged this did not excuse ‘in any way shape or form driving after consuming that much alcohol’.

Mr Tai said on the day of the incident, Smitheram had been partying at home with friends, taken her medication and gone to bed but as a result of ‘some sort of reaction’ had decided to drive to her workplace.

“She doesn’t know why,” he told the court.

He said Smitheram’s driver’s licence had been suspended since her arrest, forcing her to catch Ubers to work.

Magistrate Veena Goverdhan told Smitheram the reading was ‘extremely high’.

“I don’t even know how you drove, really,” she said.

Smitheram was fined $2000 and disqualified from driving for 22 months.

She covered her face with a scarf as she left court and refused to comment to waiting media.

Originally published as Erin Ruth Smitheram, 36, pleads guilty to driving with ‘extremely high’ blood alcohol reading of .379 per cent