A woman has been ordered to complete 50 hours of community service for what a magistrate described as "incredibly high" range drink driving on Australia Day evening.
According to court documents, police spotted Kurri Kurri woman Samantha Craft, 52, driving along Cessnock Road at Abermain just before 7.30pm on January 26.
The officers followed the Toyota Camry as it swerved within its lane, sped up and slowed down, and at one point crossed to the wrong side of the road, a statement of facts said.
Police stopped the vehicle and found Craft alone inside.
She was arrested after she returned a positive blood alcohol reading and taken to Cessnock Police Station, where she was found to have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.239 - almost five times the legal limit.
In Kurri Kurri local court on Tuesday, Magistrate Ian Rodgers said Craft's reading was "well over high range" and described it as "incredibly high".
He said her actions caused "extreme" danger to herself and other road users.
"That reading alone, setting aside the manner of driving, makes it a very serious example of drink driving," Magistrate Rodgers said.
He sentenced her to a six-month Intensive Corrections Order, 50 hours of community service, and disqualified her from driving for nine months.
