Rebecca Pacey, 47, shocks road users with swerving drink drive

A 47-year-old serial high-range drink drive mum avoided the slammer by a few percentage points, a court has heard.

A mother-of-two has narrowly escaped a mandatory prison sentence after shocked residents called in her latest high-range drink driving offence.

Shailer Park woman Rebecca Pacey, 47, was told “prison is not far off” when she appeared at Cleveland Magistrates Court on Monday.

She pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of liquor, driving without an interlock device and driving without a licence as a repeat offender.

The court heard concerned residents called police around 10.49pm on December 24 last year when they observed Pacey swerving “all over the road” on Cleveland Redland Bay Rd in her Mazda.

A roadside test revealed she had a breath-alcohol content of 0.200 per cent, or four times over the legal limit.

It came on the back of a horror drink driving history.

Shailer Park woman Rebecca Pacey, 47, at Cleveland Magistrates Court. Picture: Marcel Baum.

On September 19, 2019 she drove with a monster BAC of 0.284 per cent – nearly six times the limit – and on August 16 last year tests confirmed a BAC of 0.144 per cent.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Duncan Blackburn said had her latter reading in August also been a high-range offence (a minimum BAC reading of 0.150 per cent), Pacey would have received a mandatory prison sentence for three such offences in a row.

“This is a very serious matter,” Sen Constable Blackburn said.

“The risk she posed to the community was significant.

“The death rate on our roads is just out of control.”

An unrepresented Pacey said her drink driving had started in 2019 after the passing of her husband and was further encouraged during an abusive relationship.

She told the court she was so intoxicated on December 24 she had no recollection of even getting in her vehicle.

Pacey further said she had not had a drink since her latest offence and had made significant changes to her life, including seeking counselling.

“I am healthy now,” she said.

Magistrate Deborah Vasta noted Pacey had previously received probation for like offending and was indeed very fortunate not to be locked up under mandatory sentencing.

The defendant was sentenced to two years’ probation and disqualified from driving for 16 months.

A conviction was recorded.