Matt Heagney, 47, of Kite Street, told police he drank three or four glasses of red wine between 5pm and 11.55pm while working at Union Bank Wine Bar on July 21.

He left work about 12.35am and despite being unable to see drove onto Summer Street with his head out the window and lost control and hit the pole on the corner of Bathurst Road and William Street.

The crash caused the pole to bend but the lights continued working.

MAP: Where the crash occurred …

According to police facts, when police arrived he was unsteady on his feed, was slurring his words, and smelt strongly of alcohol.

He returned a positive reading to a breath test and was arrested and taken to Orange Police Station where he returned a high-range reading of 0.185. 

Heagney appeared in Orange Local Court for sentencing where magistrate Robert Williams disqualified his driver’s licence for eight months and ordered him to have an interlock device fitted to his vehicle for 24 months.

The interlock and disqualification period was backdated to July 22, when Heagney’s licence was suspended by police.

He was also given a community corrections order with supervision and with the condition that he complete the traffic offenders’ intervention program within two months.

“You should not have driven. The danger that you posed not only to yourself and other members of the public was high,” Mr Williams said.

“It’s clear that you are a respected person in the community who held respectable positions.

“There’s a clear need for deterrence, not only for yourself but also for other members of the community.”

Solicitor Mason Manwaring said Heagney pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and is now working about 10 kilometres out of Orange and not being able to drive has affected his ability to see his children.

“His driving was wrong,” Mr Manwaring admitted.