Tara Jayne Roberts in court for drink driving, obstructing police

A middle-aged woman drove drunk through a campground and collided with a pole so she could ‘sleep in the right direction.’ Read what was said in court.

A 47-year-old support pensioner was heavily fined in Gympie Magistrates Court on Monday for drink driving through a campground to turn her car around.

Tara Jayne Roberts was convicted and fined for failing to appear, drink driving and obstructing police.

The court heard police drove to the Glastonbury Creek Camping Area about 7pm on October 14, 2021 after receiving reports of someone driving recklessly through the campgrounds.

They spoke with witnesses before approaching the car with Roberts inside, the court was told.

She had driven out of the campground and collided with a pole, police prosecutor Melissa Campbell said.

Roberts submitted to a roadside breath test and was told she would be taken to the Gympie Police Station for further testing.

“I didn’t do anything wrong,” Roberts said to police.

She was turning her vehicle around so she could sleep in the right direction, the court heard.

Unsteady on her feet, police took her by the arm to help her walk.

She motioned for police to walk in front of her but when she was refused, she twisted herself out of their grip and raised her arm to strike one of the officers before lowering it quickly, the court was told.

Roberts had driven to the end of the campsite and stopped, realising she was too drunk to drive and there was a 30 minute wait until police arrived, duty lawyer Chris Anderson told the court.

On July 19, 2022 police found a car parked on a highway with Roberts sitting inside, where she was identified then arrested. She had missed a court appearance and returned to Canberra, thinking the matter would be dealt with, the court heard.

She flew up from Canberra to attend the latest court date on Tuesday.

Roberts was fined $1500, her licence was disqualified for six months and convictions were not recorded.