‘Dr Jekyll’ told to lock herself inside if she drinks

A southeast Queensland woman who is a model citizen by day turns into a drunken, troublemaking Dr Jekyll character at night, a magistrate has said, telling her she should lock herself inside or risk trouble.

A Stradbroke Island woman has been warned to lock herself inside if she drinks because it turns her into a Dr Jekyll character. Istock

A Stradbroke Island woman who is a model citizen by day turns into a drunken, troublemaking Dr Jekyll character at night, according to a Cleveland magistrate.

Magistrate Deborah Vasta’s stern remarks came as she sentenced Cecelia Alice Karklis, 25, of Dunwich, for a string of offences including shoulder charging a police sergeant, vandalising a police holding cell, numerous traffic offences and going on a bender using a stolen credit card.

“Have you heard of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde?’’ Ms Vasta asked Karklis.

“You’re a hard worker, enthusiastic and polite, but when you get on the grog you become another person and you get into trouble.

“You have to listen to the little voice in the back of your head that says if you start drinking, you get in trouble — you need to lock yourself inside.’’

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Ms Vasta said the offending was at odds with Karklis’ daytime behaviour and said she was impressed with the glowing references from the defendant’s employer.

“You are on the brink of discovering your true potential in life,’’ her boss said in his reference, which was tendered to the court.

He was so impressed with her diligence he even signed Karklis up for a Certificate III in hospitality.

The police prosecutor told the court that on September 5 last year, Karklis stole a wallet from a parked car at Dunwich.

CCTV footage at the RSL club showed she and two associates then shared around a Westpac credit card they found in the wallet, treating themselves at the bar to a total of $243.

Then, on November 17 last year, police intercepted Karklis on an unregistered, uninsured motorbike with no licence plates.

She claimed at the time that she had only recently bought the motorbike and was unaware it was not registered or insured.

But on March 30 she drove the motorbike past the Dunwich police station, without a helmet.

It was still not registered and a licence check found Karklis had never held a driver’s licence.

After police told her they would impound the motorbike, she made as if to hand it over but then sped off.

When police tracked her to a house she refused a breath specimen and abused them, so they took her to a holding cell where she allegedly scratched the cell and shoulder charged a police officer.

Karklis’ defence counsel asked for probation, saying most of the offences were traffic related and that Karklis, who appeared via videolink as she was in custody over other matters, had a full-time job and was undergoing counselling.

Ms Vasta ordered her to pay restitution to the RSL club and disqualified her from driving for nine months, saying she took into account Karklis’ guilty plea on all charges and good employment record.

“My only fear is you’re going to go out and celebrate and get smashed,’’ she said.

“No matter how much ‘drunk brain’ is taking over, there has to be a sober brain saying ‘stop, I will get caught’.