"YOU'RE a danger to us all."
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Those are the words a magistrate used to describe a 55-year-old woman who returned to court for her fourth serious drink-driving charge.
Michelle Louise Lewis, of Suttor Street, Bathurst, pleaded guilty in Bathurst Local Court on September 13, 2023 to high-range drink-driving.
Police documents before the court said police were patrolling the Bathurst area on July 30, 2023 when they saw a gold Nissan Pulsar reverse out of a driveway on Cummings Street at around 12.15am.
Police said they watched the vehicle driven by Lewis as she made a slow left turn onto Suttor Street and accelerated away.
According to police, her manner of driving was suspicious.
Police activated their warning devices and stopped Lewis, who was given a roadside alcohol test.
After she returned a positive reading, she was arrested and taken to Bathurst Police Station.
While in police custody, Lewis gave a second positive alcohol reading of 0.172.
![Bathurst Courthouse, where Michelle Louise Lewis was sentenced on September 13, 2023. Picture by James Arrow Bathurst Courthouse, where Michelle Louise Lewis was sentenced on September 13, 2023. Picture by James Arrow](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/5QSV2wJYJi8ZgVyWibkV7A/e5452fab-0d53-4eed-a11a-3548ea141640.jpg/r1574_1055_5894_3583_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Sentence
Legal Aid solicitor Simone Thackray told the court that Lewis was at a pub with her friends and drank a number of full-strength beers.
Ms Thackray said Lewis didn't see her drinking as problematic.
"When someone has this high of a reading, I think it is," Ms Ellis said.
Ms Ellis said there were a "number of red flags" with Lewis, who the court heard had three prior drink-driving charges on her record.
"In my opinion, you have an alcohol problem. To be before the court four times ... it indicates you drink too much and you are a danger to us all," Ms Ellis said.
Lewis was placed on a community correction order for 12 months with the condition she abstain from alcohol for four months.
She was also disqualified from driving for nine months.
Once the disqualified period is complete, Lewis must have an alcohol interlock device installed in her vehicle for 24 months.
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