Dentist Melissa Jane Murray blows more than five times legal limit at Margate, police allege

A dentist was more than five times the legal blood-alcohol limit when she had to be forcefully stopped from driving by her uncle and a truckie in a dramatic roadside incident north of Brisbane, police allege.

Dentist Melissa Jane Murray appeared in court after allegedly recording a blood-alcohol level of 0.282 per cent.

A Sydney dentist allegedly blew more than five times the legal blood-alcohol limit north of Brisbane after a family member tried to block her car in to stop her from driving.

Melissa Jane Murray appeared in Brisbane Arrests Court on Monday via video-link charged with one count each of drink driving and driving with a disqualified licence.

Police allegedly found her behind the wheel at Margate north of Brisbane about 7.20am on Sunday and when breath-tested, she allegedly recorded a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.282 per cent.

“I note that police came upon you with your vehicle having been blocked in by your uncle and another witness, a tow truck, to prevent you driving,” Magistrate Rose Gilbert said.

“Your blood-alcohol [was] an extremely high reading.”

The court heard that Dr Murray already had another drink-driving charge before the courts, which resulted in her licence being disqualified.

In that case, she was allegedly found drinking in her car outside a bottle shop but not actually driving.

Legal Aid lawyer Tim Clements told the court that Dr Murray had recently suffered relationship issues, as well as an injury which forced her to stop working.

“She has worked as a dentist since 2008, she owned her own practice in Sydney from 2011 until March last year,” he said.

“There were some relationship issues … which led to alcohol use.

“She recently sustained some damage to her arm, which has meant she has not been able to practise as a dentist.

“She’s done X-rays and ultrasounds, but they are unable to establish how she has damaged that arm, it may be nerve damage. But the fact that she has not been able to practise has meant that she has returned to alcohol use.”

Dr Murray had her own practice, Striking Smile Dentistry in Sydney’s Rose Bay, which has since permanently closed.

Mr Clements told the court that Dr Murray had briefly practised as a dentist in Queensland before the injury. She is listed as having worked at Primary Dental in Toowoomba.

Mr Clements said Dr Murray was “completely disgusted” with her conduct.

“Last year, following the commencement of her alcohol use, she did the right thing and did some rehabilitation, she has also done some counselling,” he said.

“Now she knows what she needs to do to address that, she intends on going back and getting another mental health plan and seeing a counsellor and trying to seek some assistance with the alcohol use.

“She has never been in the watch-house before, her first words to me was that she was completely disgusted with herself, that in itself has a deterrent effect on her.”

Mr Clements applied for bail on behalf of Dr Murray on Monday, and while police did object to the bail application, Magistrate Gilbert granted it.

“You have struggled recently returning to the use of alcohol, clearly in an excessive way, and in doing so you place yourself and others at risk,” Magistrate Gilbert told Dr Murray.

“I would hope very much that the time you have spent in custody serves as a reminder to you that you need to do something about your alcohol problem.”

The bail came with the condition that Dr Murray must allow police to breath test her at any point while on bail, and she must not blow over 0.05.

The case was adjourned to the Brisbane Magistrates Court on May 8.