A Thirroul man has been found driving while more than five times over the legal limit, on the wrong side of the road with no headlights on, a court has heard.
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Karl Andrew Sattlecker, 33, admitted he had a significant alcohol problem when he appeared in Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday.
Documents tendered to court said Sattlecker drove a blue Subaru Forester in an easterly direction after allegedly leaving Corrimal Hotel car park about 1am on Wednesday.
Police allegedly saw the car being driven on the incorrect side of the road for about 100 metres without headlights turned on.
Officers followed the car onto Memorial Drive and then into Bellambi Lane, Bellambi before they pulled over the driver for a mobile random breath test.
Officers identified the driver as Sattlecker and noticed his breath smelt of alcohol, he struggled to speak and was slow to respond to questions.
Sattlecker allegedly told officers he had been drinking at the Cabbage Tree Hotel and he refused to do a breath test.
He was taken to Wollongong Police Station where he eventually did a breath analysis which allegedly returned a result of 0.275.
Police checks revealed Sattlecker's licence was already suspended due to demerit points.
He was also previously on bail for offensive behaviour and language towards police and resisting arrest.
As part of his bail conditions Sattlecker was prohibited from being intoxicated in a public place and from entering any licensed premises.
Sattlecker was charged with high-range drink-driving and refusing to submit to a breath test.
In court on Wednesday, defence lawyer Rosie Lambert said her client was doing a TAFE course and was going to start work before adding Sattlecker did not fully understand his previous bail conditions when he signed them.
She also said he had had some success in rehabilitation for alcohol abuse, adding it was not inevitable he would be imprisoned if convicted.
Magistrate Chris McRobert said Sattlecker had consumed almost enough alcohol to "kill himself" from intoxication.
"He was detected by police driving in a manner that was gravely dangerous to the public," he said.
"He knows he should not be drinking alcohol and certainly not at this level. He put himself and members of the community at an extreme risk."
Sattlecker was refused bail with the case adjourned to April 19.
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