Former $19 million rich-lister Cathy Jayne Pearce remanded in custody over driving charges

A one-time $19 million rich-lister, now locked out of her bathhouse business over unpaid rent, is behind bars on bad driving allegations.

At the peak of her prestige, Cathy Jayne Pearce stood atop Adelaide’s real estate scene – now, she stands shoeless atop a wheelie bin, locked out of her own business by her landlords.

This photo, obtained by The Advertiser, shows the former $19 million high-flying rich-lister, now known as Cathy Jayne Britten, outside Soak House Adelaide, Richmond, in August.

Since then, Ms Britten’s legal war with her landlords, John and Anita Dente, has taken an unexpected turn – because the one-time development mogul is behind bars on remand.

The Advertiser can reveal that, on Friday, the Christies Beach Magistrates Court revoked Ms Britten’s bail on allegations of poor driving dating back to 2021.

Her sudden incarceration resulted in the Supreme Court immediately dismissing her latest lawsuit – a bid to have Soak House’s lease, terminated over $9000 in unpaid rent, reinstated.

Although Ms Britten had paid the rent, along with $20,000 in related fees, the court rejected her bid to re-enter the business and ended her case before it even began.

In the early 2000s, Ms Britten was an A-lister who, alongside her then-husband, real estate tycoon Myles Pearce, lived in a $5.2 million mansion at Medindie.

The BRW Rich List estimated her personal worth at $19 million – but a series of debts, liquidations and bankruptcies followed.

Ms Britten, also known as Cathy Jane Hogben and Cathy Jayne Staker, also became embroiled in several fraud investigations that were subsequently dropped by prosecutors.

After announcing her intent to return to real estate, she took over Soak House’s site from its previous tenants – who are not connected to the business – and promoted it on social media.

The Supreme Court has previously heard she then issued the Dentes with a statutory demand, without disclosing why or how much she wanted them to pay.

During the same hearing, Ms Britten repeatedly refuted assertions that she was currently an undischarged bankrupt, despite federal government records stating that was the case.

On Friday, Ms Britten faced the Christies Beach Magistrates Court charged with one count of dishonestly dealing with documents at Brighton in October 2021.

She was further charged with having driven at night, with excess blood alcohol, and in contravention of a learner’s permit the same year.

Ms Britten was also charged with driving under disqualification or suspension in 2021, and a second count of the same offence in 2022.

She was further charged with two counts of failing to comply with bail agreements – once in 2023, and a second time in 2024.

The court refused her bail and remanded her in custody to appear in October by video link.

Later that same day, Ms Britten was due to appear in the Supreme Court over her lease.

When told, by court staff, Ms Britten was in custody and unable to appeal, Auxiliary Associate Justice Christina Florenzou dismissed the case.

The Dente’s application to have Ms Britten’s statutory demand thrown out returns to court in October.

Editor’s note: A previous version of this story stated that Ms Britten was remanded on a range of charges. She was remanded on only the driving charges.