Ella O’Sullivan: Graduate nurse caught driving wrong way on freeway

Desperation to go home after a night drinking led a young drunk nursing graduate, rejected by several Ubers, to drive herself home — the wrong way down a freeway.

A graduate nurse has been stripped of her driver’s licence for her “reckless” decision to drive while three times over the legal alcohol limit.

Ella Clare O’Sullivan of Alderley faced Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday, October 21 and pleaded guilty to one count of driving while under the influence.

The court heard the 21-year-old was caught by police about 3am on September 24 when they spotted her driving in the wrong direction on the Western Freeway.

She participated in a breath test before being taken back to the police station, where she returned a reading of 0.158.

Defence solicitor Elizabeth Davey said her client was “embarrassed and remorseful” over her actions.

On the night in question, O’Sullivan was said to have been drinking with colleagues before heading into Fortitude Valley.

Mr Davey said the young woman, a receptionist at a general practice and a jewellery-maker, remembered “next to nothing” after that, apart from waking about 2.30am on a colleague’s couch.

She tried to leave the residence by way of Uber but, after several cancellations, made the “stupid decision” to drive herself.

Ms Davey said O’Sullivan was a hard worker, having recently graduated from Mater Education with a diploma of nursing, and was of excellent character.

Magistrate John Costanzo took into consideration O’Sullivan’s lack of a criminal history, her very early plea of guilty, and her employment prospects when deciding an appropriate penalty.

The young woman was fined $700 and disqualified from driving for six months. No conviction was recorded.