Shania Natalie Pungitore sentenced in Mackay court for drink driving

A 21-year-old Qld woman, who narrowly avoided jail, reacted in shock after learning how long she would be banned from driving for her repeat behaviour.

Shania Natalie Pungitore was sentenced before Mackay Magistrates Court on Monday, July 8, 2024. Picture: Heidi Petith

A young driver with a terrible history was in shock on learning she would not be able to drive until 2029 after she was again busted for drink-driving.

“I’ll never have a f---ing licence again,” the 21 year old exclaimed after court, despite learning she had narrowly avoided a mandatory jail term.

Shania Natalie Pungitore was also midway through a three-year licence driving ban at the time she was busted behind the wheel.

Mackay Magistrates Court on Monday heard police came across a Toyota HiLux in a carpark along Gregory St in the Mackay CBD at midnight on May 25.

Prosecutor Matt Saunders said the driver, Pungitore, attempted to drive off but stalled the vehicle before leading the police on a short chase on foot.

Mr Saunders said she was arrested and taken to the Mackay Police Station where she returned a blood alcohol concentration of 0.117.

Choosing to forgo Magistrate Damian Dwyer’s suggestion to seek representation from Legal Aid before sentencing, Pungitore said she would rather get her punishment over with.

The Andergrove woman pleaded guilty to mid-range drink-driving and disqualified driving.

Shania Natalie Pungitore was sentenced before Mackay Magistrates Court on Monday, July 8, 2024. Picture: Heidi Petith

The court heard this was not her first drink-driving offence and in April 2022 her licence was disqualified for three years.

Pungitore told Mr Dwyer she was moving to Melbourne to be with her sister and she was “actually about to get it (her licence) back”.

“No you’re not,” Mr Dwyer retorted, adding it would now be disqualified until mid-2029.

“I want to warn you, this disqualification is Australia-wide,” he said.

Mr Dwyer told Pungitore she had a “terrible history” for a person her age and she was fortunate the charge had been dropped from high-range to mid-range drink driving as it removed the element of mandatory jail time.

Pungitore was fined $2500 and her licence was disqualified for a further three and a half years, which did not start until the previous period was finished.

Convictions were recorded.