Man failed car park exit driving more than six times over legal limit

Paul Reed, 55, told the Ballarat Magistrates' Court he was drinking to self medicate in July 2020 when he committed the offence.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Steve Repac said Reed got into his car at Fountain Gate Shopping Centre in Narre Warren about 12.45pm on July 30, 2020.

The court heard Reed attempted to reverse out of a car park and his front bumper hit the car next to him and then his rear bumper hit the car behind him.

Security staff contacted triple zero and Reed was still in the drivers' seat when police arrived.

Senior Constable Repac said Reed could not speak and could not sit up and breathe into the breathalyser but did provide his drivers' licence.

Police arranged for an ambulance to attend and Reed was taken to hospital.

A blood sample was analysed and showed a reading of 0.335. The court heard Reed had a similar prior offence from 2011.

He faces a minimum mandatory licence cancellation period of four years.

Representing himself at court, Reed said he had mental health issues, had been made redundant from his job and had not been able to get work.

He said he was separated from his fiance at the time due to COVID-19 restrictions and was feeling stress and anxiety.

Reed said he had not drunk for a long time but started again to self medicate.

He said he had since completed a drug and alcohol detox program and six weeks at a residential rehabilitation facility and had not drunk alcohol since the incident.

"I am deeply regretful and really disappointed in myself for allowing it to happen," Reed said.

"I was incredibly upset for a number of weeks afterwards."

Magistrate Michelle Hodgson said it was rare to come across a blood alcohol concentration reading so high.

"It is one of the highest I have seen," she said.

"I also note it was quite a high reading on the last occasion. Your capacity to drive a vehicle was clearly impaired."

Ms Hodgson said she was required to impose a sentence that would reflect the community's denunciation of drink driving and meet the principles of general and specific deterrence.

"At that level of intoxication you posed a potential fatal risk to not just yourself but many members of the community," she said.

Reed will be assessed for a community corrections order and will return to court on Friday. Ms Hodgson said if he was to commit a third drink driving offence the only sentencing option would be imprisonment.

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