Dallas Brooks Shrimpton had taken his daily methadone prescription and Codral Cold and Flu tablets, Panadeine Forte and four painkillers

Dallas Brooks Shrimpton, 45, of Lochiel Road, appeared in Kogarah Local Court last month, where he was sentenced for six charges, all relating to the same incident on September 14 last year.Magistrate Sharon Holdsworth said Shrimpton had taken his daily methadone prescription and Codral Cold and Flu tablets, Panadeine Forte and four painkillers that were for his dog, to dull the pain he suffered from two previous car accidents.Magistrate Holdsworth said Shrimpton then drove his car on West Botany Street, Rockdale, and crashed into the back of another car, causing that vehicle to hit another car.Shrimpton left the scene but returned later and punched one of the drivers who was talking on his phone.He then tried to hit the second driver but missed. ``Police tried to intervene and he took exception to their involvement,'' Magistrate Holdsworth said. Magistrate Holdsworth said there was nodoubt the drugs contributed to Shrimpton's ``erratic and bizarre behaviour''.
``It's fortunate that no one was more seriously injured,'' she said.Shrimpton pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer, resisting a police officer, two counts of common assault, negligent driving and driving under the influence.
Magistrate Holdsworth said the fact that he had no previous convictions for violence had saved him from going to jail.He was ordered to carry out 150 hours of community service and fined $1300. He was also put on a 12-month good behaviour bond and banned from driving for a year.