A WOMAN who crashed her car while more than four times over the limit with her three-year-old son in the back seat has been spared a jail term in Newcastle Local Court.
Katherine Murphy, 44, of Islington, recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.222 after she crashed her car at Islington in January.
Murphy, of Islington, was represented by criminal defence lawyer Drew Hamilton when she appeared in court for sentence on Thursday after pleading guilty to high-range drink driving.
Police say they were called to Fern Street at Islington about 6.30pm on January 23 this year after reports that a woman had been in a crash and was attempting to drive away.
Witnesses at the scene told triple-zero the woman appeared to be "well intoxicated", according to a statement of police facts.
They said they saw Murphy in the driver's seat of a black and silver Mazda as it reversed across Fern Street and into a driveway before colliding with a fence post.
They also saw a young child in the car.
When police arrived they found Murphy outside the car, which was resting up against the fence post she had collided with.
Police said she was "staggering and slurring her words" and when asked for her drivers licence became belligerent and refused to give police any information.
At that point, police said Murphy opened the car door, got into the driver's seat and attempted to start the engine.
Police had to intervene and pull her out of the vehicle.
Murphy failed a roadside breath test and was taken back to Newcastle police station where Murphy admitted to consuming "heaps of drinks" but refused to specify what type of alcohol.
She underwent a breath analysis which revealed she was 0.222 - more than four times over the legal blood alcohol limit.
Police said the young boy in the car was treated by ambulance paramedics for a laceration and small lump on his forehead, but it was unclear how the child had sustained the injury.
Murphy was charged with high-range drink driving and pleaded guilty in Newcastle Local Court in February.
On Thursday, she narrowly avoided a jail term, with Magistrate Robert Stone placing her on a 12-month intensive corrections order.
She was disqualified from driving for six months and given a mandatory 24-month interlock order.
She was also fined $1000.
