Ashlee Nicky Green: Mum in court for drink driving, scratching police officer

A Gold Coast woman has penned a remorseful letter to a police officer after causing a stir when she was busted driving while more than five times the legal alcohol limit.

A mum of two has faced sentence in court after driving while drunk and scratching the police officer who apprehended her.

Ashlee Nicky Green, 28, of Surfers Paradise appeared in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Wednesday, July 20 and pleaded guilty to one count each of assaulting a police officer, driving while under the influence of alcohol, and obstructing a police officer.

The court heard all three offences took place on April 17 this year at Jacobs Well.

Police prosecutor Tahlia Boettcher said it was on this day that Green drove while over the alcohol limit – blowing a blood alcohol concentration of 0.262 per cent in a roadside breath test – and scratched a police officer on the head.

Ms Boettcher said the assault was “not the most horrific” but it was an act Green should be ashamed of committing.

She noted a letter of apology Green penned indicated she was genuinely remorseful and believed she had failed her family and friends.

The court heard Green had no criminal history and her behaviour seemed to be “out of character”.

Defence solicitor Simona Varga said her client was a single mother of two children who suffered both depression and anxiety.

She said the offences before the court reflected a “severe lapse of judgment” which Green “sincerely regrets”.

“She has been extremely forthcoming and transparent about her behaviour, accepting full transparency, and while no excuse (it was) the ultimate outcome of a build-up of unaddressed emotional and mental health concerns that Ms Green had …,” Ms Varga said.

Magistrate Peter Cooke took into account Green’s personal circumstances, her “relatively early” pleas of guilty, and her lack of a criminal history when deciding an appropriate penalty.

He said to drive with an alcohol reading as high as hers was, and to act in the way she did when apprehended by police, was unacceptable, but noted her remorse and genuine efforts to address her mental ill health.

Green was ultimately fined $1500 and ordered to pay $500 compensation to the Senior Constable she assaulted.

No convictions were recorded and she was disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for nine months.