Courtney Jade Lindeberg, 26, pleaded guilty to drink and unlicensed driving in Gladstone Magistrates Court

A Gladstone driver told police that not eating for two days affected her body’s capacity to process alcohol - she was right. Read more:

A Gladstone night shift worker was busted by police driving to a friend’s house drunk and in possession of a suspended licence, a court heard.

Courtney Jade Lindeberg, 26, pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court on January 7 to drink driving and driving unlicensed.

Police prosecutor senior sergeant Merrilyn Hoskins told the court police saw Lindeberg, a provisional licence holder, driving a grey Ford Falcon sedan on Boyne Island Road at 9pm on November 10.

“Police intercepted the defendant and saw she was the sole occupant and driver of the vehicle,” Ms Hoskins said.

“Upon supplying a specimen of breath for analysis she was detained and transported back to Tannum Sands police station for further testing.”

Police checks on Lindeberg’s licence revealed it had expired on October 21, 2021.

Lindeberg told police she had recently changed her email address and notification of the renewal had likely been sent to her old email address and she was unaware she was unlicensed.

When questioned about her alcohol consumption that day, Lindeberg admitted to drinking three or four Vodka Cruisers from 3.30pm to 8.30pm as she had finished night shift that day.

Further, Lindeberg said she had not slept at all that morning and had not eaten for two days, which had likely affected her ability to process alcohol.

Lindeberg’s breath test at Tannum Sands police station returned a positive reading of .046 per cent and she was issued a notice to appear in Gladstone Magistrates Court.

Lindeberg’s lawyer Jun Pepito said his client probably would have returned a negative breath test if she had eaten something before she started drinking

Ms Hoskins said Lindeberg should be spared a serious penalty as she had an “uneventful” traffic history with no charges of a like nature for some time.

Magistrate Bevan Manthey convicted and fined Lindeberg $400 and suspended her from driving for three months. Convictions were recorded.