Alleged drink-driving senior NSW detective pleads not guilty over NorthConnex crash

21/12/2023

New South Wales Police badges.

Alleged drink-driving senior NSW detective pleads not guilty over NorthConnex crash

Officer, who cannot be identified, was charged in November with driving under the influence and high-range drink driving

A senior New South Wales [5] police officer charged with allegedly crashing a work car in Sydney’s NorthConnex tunnel after getting drunk at a work function earlier this year has pleaded not guilty.

The high-ranking detective, whose identity is being kept secret under a court order, was charged in November with driving under influence of alcohol and high-range drink-driving, nearly six months after the May incident.

Police have said the officer’s employment status is under review. He can only be referred to by the initials AB because of a court suppression order that will hide his identity for 40 years.

AB’s lawyer entered a not guilty plea on his behalf at the Hornsby local court on Thursday. AB was not required to attend court.

His case was adjourned until next year.

The court refused applications from journalists to view any court documents, citing the suppression order over the case.

It was revealed last Friday that AB claimed he fell asleep during the incident [7], and failed to mention alcohol when he made a NSW police insurance claim.

The information was contained in internal police documents released under parliamentary order to the NSW Greens’ justice spokesperson, Sue Higginson, who said the revelations highlighted a troubling culture within the force.

A person can be charged with high-range drink-driving if they are caught behind the wheel with a blood alcohol concentration above 0.15 – which is more than three times the legal limit.

The charge carries a maximum jail term of 18 months.

NSW car crash involving detective charged with drink-driving is being probed by police watchdog