Gemma Purcell, 34, was charged with high-range drink driving after blowing 0.432, which is nearly nine times over the legal limit, on July 21 last year.

Magistrate Mark Douglass sentenced Purcell to a 15-month intensive corrections order in Wollongong Local Court on Friday.

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"You are an alcoholic," Magistrate Douglass said to Purcell.

"What you did was most serious. Your decision to enter a car on that day was poor. You have committed a very serious criminal offence.

"With a reading that high I am surprised you were able to converse with police."

Court documents said police were called to Springhill Road at Cringila around 2pm with reports that a Suzuki swift had been involved in a crash.

Officers said they found Purcell crying in the gutter, but immediately noticed the smell of alcohol on her breath when she spoke to them.

The court heard Purcell originally returned a negative breath test at the scene and claimed she had not consumed alcohol, however, when tested again, she blew a staggering reading of 0.450.

That result prompted her to confess she'd "had a wine at lunch with Mum".

She was arrested and taken to Port Kembla Police Station, where she underwent a formal breath analysis, which recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.432.

Purcell then told police she had downed "one 375ml bottle of Tooheys New full strength beer".

She claimed to have her first drink at 12.30pm and her last drink at 1.30pm but said she'd "vomited a little".

In court on Friday, Magistrate Douglass said Purcell's reading was "extremely high" and believed it was the highest reading he had ever presided over.

In handing down his sentence, Magistrate Douglass considered the reading, collision with the fence and prior offences, which include a history of alcohol abuse and had two prior drink driving matters on her record from 2004 and 2010.

He also took into account Purcell's plea of guilty, that she had not committed any further offence since July as well as her efforts towards getting rehabilitation.

Purcell, who has been drinking since she was 13-years-old, will be required to participate in an assessment and treatment for full-time alcohol rehabilitation, and must undergo a mental health assessment and take all prescribed medication.

She was also disqualified from driving for nine months and must have an interlock device on her car for 24 months.

The outcome of the long-running case has been delayed several times so reports could be prepared and most recently was adjourned in June so Purcell could attend appointments with the Illawarra Drug and Alcohol Service.

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