Jennifer Leigh Derksen guilty of high-range drink-driving in Nambour

A Sunshine Coast magistrate struggled to accept a mum-of-three’s version of events behind her 0.419 per cent BAC reading as dramatic scenes unfolded outside court.

A 50-year-old Burnside mum has revealed what sparked her astronomical blood-alcohol reading before lashing out at reporters outside the courtroom.

Jennifer Leigh Derksen pleaded guilty to one count of high-range drink-driving in the Nambour Magistrates Court on Monday, February 20, after claiming she downed a bottle of wine at the movies and was on her way to get KFC when she was busted.

Police prosecutor Lee Allan said the 50-year-old Burnside woman was found in the driver’s seat of an “extensively damaged” silver Mazda following a two-car crash on Lamington Tce about 4.20pm on December 30, last year.

Senior Constable Allan said police officers noticed the woman’s speech was slurred, she smelt “strongly” of alcohol and she needed help to the ambulance that took her to hospital.

Police ordered a blood test, which returned a reading of 0.419 per cent, more than eight times the legal limit.

Jennifer Leigh Derksen was charged with high-range drink driving.

The police prosecutor said the defendant told police she had consumed a bottle of wine before the crash and she was driving to KFC to get a meal.

“I don’t think I’ve come across a reading higher than that in my time as a prosecutor,” Senior Constable Allan said.

Duty lawyer Katie Paterson said her client, an unemployed mother-of-three, had drunk the bottle of wine while at the movies.

Jennifer Leigh Derksen outside the Nambour Courthouse on February 20, 2022.

Magistrate Raelene Ellis said she “was just not sure” she accepted that Derksen had consumed only one bottle of wine prior to the crash.

“0.4 is verging on death,” she said.

“You don’t verge on death after a bottle of wine.”

The duty lawyer said Derksen had suffered a traumatic childhood, a miscarriage and a marriage breakdown and had kept the struggles of alcohol addiction to herself to protect her family.

Derksen’s father was present in the courtroom.

Ms Paterson said her client was on a waitlist for a detox program.

Ms Ellis said the roads at the time of the crash would have been frequented by families and children.

She said the other aggravating feature was Derksen’s 2012 conviction in Gympie for a reading of 0.306 per cent in 2012, though she accepted the conviction was more than 10 years ago and the defendant must have completed her 12 months’ probation with success.

Ms Ellis said the mother could have done more to take steps towards rehabilitation following the crash.

The magistrate gave Derksen nine months’ jail, with immediate parole, and disqualified her from driving for five years.

A conviction was recorded.

Outside the courtroom, Derksen told reporters she had no comment after thrusting her umbrella towards one of them and her father also made comments.