Broncos staffer in court for drunken drive through busy Brisbane busway

A Brisbane Broncos sales executive downed a bottle of vodka before driving through a busy CBD busway, creating a scene outside the Treasury Casino and hurling abuse at police, a court has heard.

A Brisbane Broncos sales executive has faced court on a string of charges after driving drunk through a busy busway in the CBD and shouting obscene language at police.

Prue Anne Connolly, 29, pleaded guilty in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday, October 14 to committing public nuisance, obstructing a police officer and drink driving.

The prosecution said the Spring Hill woman was arrested after an incident on the afternoon of July 23, when she was seen driving out of the busway underneath Queen St.

Police watched as she turned into William St and began frantically exiting and entering her car in a state of distress, “creating a disturbance”.

The court heard she appeared agitated – throwing items including a handbag out of her car and shouting obscene language at police while on the footpath outside Treasury Casino.

After she told police she had to go to the toilet and they tried to direct her to one nearby she told them “shut up you c***”, the court heard.

She flopped to the ground when police arrested her for public nuisance and kicked at them as they carried her to a police van.

Ms Connolly told the officers she had drunk a bottle of vodka.

A breath test at the Brisbane City Watchhouse returned an alcohol concentration of 0.228, more than four times the legal limit. She was charged with driving under the influence.

Prue Anne Connolly, 29. Picture: Facebook

Defence solicitor Jack Volkers told the court Ms Connolly had struggled with alcohol abuse for a number of years.

She moved from Toowoomba to Brisbane for a fresh start under stress after having to find bail money for her partner, who had recently been remanded in custody.

Mr Volkers said Ms Connolly had moved out of home as a teenager.

But she finished Year 12 at Toowoomba State High School and went on to become a car saleswoman.

She now worked as a sales executive for the Brisbane Broncos.

He said she was hoping to get her life back on track after the “isolated event” which he said was out of character.

Magistrate Penelope Hay said she took into account Ms Connolly’s struggles with alcoholism, her history of committing public nuisance and her “extremely high” blood-alcohol reading.

She did not record a conviction but ordered Ms Connolly serve a six-month probation order and disqualified her from driving for 12 months.