Mackay drink-drivers Petrus Maria Ryke, Renee Lee Burke, Roslyn Nicole Chapman plead guilty

These three Mackay drink-drivers put innocent lives at risk by getting behind the wheel while well over the alcohol limit. Read how they tried to explain their actions.

These three Mackay drink-drivers put innocent lives at risk by getting behind the wheel while well over the alcohol limit.

Petrus Maria Ryke

A motorcyclist has been hit with a two-year driving ban and must pay a $2000 fine after crashing while five times the legal alcohol limit.

Petrus Maria Ryke returned a 0.253 per cent blood alcohol reading.

“Well he doesn’t muck around … third drink-driving and the third ripper,” Magistrate Damien Dwyer said.

Mackay Magistrates Court heard after Ryke crashed his 2015 Honda motorbike was left on the roadside and stolen.

Police were called to a single-vehicle crash on Evans St about 1.30am on March 19, 2022 – paramedics were already assessing Ryke and fire crews were also on scene.

The 57 year old told police he had been drinking earlier that night at Langfords Hotel.

An ambulance took him to Mackay Base Hospital and a blood sample was taken which revealed a 0.253 per cent reading.

Ryke pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of liquor or a drug.

When Ryke’s solicitor John Elliott, of Becky, Knight and Elliott, tried to explain what had happened, Mr Dwyer said “I know what happened. He really got full of grog, got on his bike and went down Evans St.

“I want to know why though.”

Mr Elliott said “for some inexplicable reason”.

The court heard he usually walked home, which was about 15 minutes away, but on this occasion he had his bike at the pub.

“He doesn’t know why,” Mr Elliott said.

The court heard Ryke had only had his licence returned in the past eight months.

“He acknowledges for some reason he had a very high reading,” Mr Elliott said.

Mr Dwyer said Ryke’s traffic history had been excellent until about two years ago

“And then two times you’ve put innocent lives at risk,” Mr Dwyer said, adding this was the third.

“You’re now in jail country if you come back again.”

A conviction was recorded.

Renee Lee Burke

A service station cashier cried after her drink-driving shame was laid bare in Mackay Magistrates Court.

Police stopped Renee Lee Burke on April 22, 2022 at 1.10am on Juliet St and she returned a positive reading.

Mackay Magistrates Court heard further analysis revealed her reading was 0.227 per cent, four and a half times the legal limit.

Self represented, Burke pleaded guilty to high range drink-driving.

The court heard it was not the first time she had been busted for this charge – in 2018 she also returned a 0.247 per cent blood alcohol reading and as a result was disqualified from driving for 18 months.

“It suggests to me you … you might need some with alcohol. Is alcohol an issue for you?” Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan asked.

Burke, 37, said “yes”, adding in 2019 she went through a residential rehabilitation program.

“I did relapse and that’s the problem,” she said.

“Relapsing at home is fine. Relapsing and taking to the road, that’s not fine because you might kill someone,” Ms Hartigan said.

“You might kill someone else who doesn’t deserve that.

“I don’t think I should give you a fine. I think you need some help.”

Burke told the court she worked at a service station in Mackay.

She was placed on 12 months probation and disqualified from driving for 12 months. A conviction was recorded.

Roslyn Nicole Chapman

A Mackay mother claimed she had only had four “self-poured” glasses of wine over nine hours when she was busted driving while more than three times the legal alcohol limit.

Roslyn Nicole Chapman told Mackay Magistrates Court she was sorry for her conduct, but it was revealed this was her third drink-driving charge.

The 44 year old had two passengers in the car when police noticed the vehicle only had one operational headlight and stopped her for a random breath test on Beaconsfield Rd about 2.20am on May 10, 2022.

Mackay Magistrates Court heard she had been driving two friends home.

Chapman told officers she began drinking at 5pm the day before and had her fourth and final glass of wine at 2am.

She returned a 0.158 per cent blood alcohol reading.

Self represented, she pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of liquor or a drug.

“I’m very sorry for doing it,” she said.

When Magistrate Damien Dwyer seemed unconvinced, she said, “yes I am”.

“Well this is the third time,” Mr Dwyer said.

“Each time you do it, luckily you didn’t kill someone … you’re sorry, but you keep doing it.

“What are you going to do about it?”

Chapman said, “Not drink and drive anymore.”

“I’m sure you told us that both times last time,” Mr Dwyer said.

When Chapman denied saying this, Mr Dwyer asked if this meant she had intended to drink-drive again.

“No,” she said.

“Of course not,” Mr Dwyer said, adding her previous comment was “just stupid”.

Chapman told the court she needed to get her drinking under control, but was not sure how.

Mr Dwyer suggested Lives Lived Well and said she was “now skating on thin ice”.

She was fined $1050 and disqualified from driving for nine months. A conviction was not recorded.