NSW: Wife says she was in charge of boat, not drunk husband

AAP General News (Australia)
12-13-2007
NSW: Wife says she was in charge of boat, not drunk husband

The wife of a man accused of drunkenly running his boat aground near the prime minister's
Sydney residence .. has told a court she was behind the wheel at the time of the crash.

In Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court .. DEBORAH ELAINE HENDERSON said she was in
shock and distraught after steering the boat onto a rock at Kirribilli Point last year
.. sparking a security scare.

Her husband was taken to a police station .. where a breathalyser test returned an
alcohol reading of 0.095.

JAMIE BERNARD HENDERSON .. a mobile crane company director of Prospect in Sydney's
west .. has pleaded not guilty to operating a vessel with a blood-alcohol reading of 0.095
and navigating negligently.

Mrs HENDERSON told the court she was too shocked to tell police she was piloting the
boat when it crashed.

She and her husband .. their three children and two family friends had enjoyed a four
hour lunch before the crash in May last year.

She said she'd not been feeling well that day and had agreed before lunch that she would drive.

Under cross-examination .. she denied she was lying to protect her husband.

The case continues.

AAP RTV caj/nap/hn/af/bart

KEYWORD: HENDERSON (SYDNEY)

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