A Lavington man who crashed while driving with a blood alcohol content five times over the legal limit has cut his drinking, but has had to do so gradually because of an addiction of more than 30 years.
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It was medically impossible for Roy David Mee to simply go cold turkey.
"He's on medication, which is helping to some extent," defence lawyer Mark Cronin told magistrate Richard Funston in Albury Local Court.
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"But it's a difficult process your honour, as you would understand."
Mr Cronin said it was to Mee's "great credit" that he had demonstrated insight, at the age of 56, into his "very serious illness".
Mr Funston imposed an 18-month intensive corrections order on Mee, who pleaded guilty to driving with a high-range prescribed concentration of alcohol, not give particulars to other driver and negligent driving.
"That's a jail sentence in the community," he said.
"It's really a bit long-winded for me to say this is your last chance."
Mr Funston said it was absolutely crucial for Mee to have the daily support of a specialist sponsor such as Alcoholics Anonymous.
"I would have really like to have seen today a letter from a sponsor because you're at risk, the community's at risk," he said.
The court heard in late July that Mee, who is a disability pensioner, was driving at 70km/h in a 60km/h zone when he lost control on a sweeping bend in Union Road, Lavington, on May 24 about 5.40pm.
The car mounted the kerb, traveled along the nature strip, sideswiped a ute, returned to the road and then crashed into the back of an SUV.
Mee had a blood alcohol reading of 0.247, having drunk eight beers and one strawberry cocktail.
