Cecilia Meoli convicted at Byron Bay for drug driving

‘You are not a good driver’, the magistrate noted, of a woman who was brought undone at a random breath test site. Read why the court was unimpressed.

Cecilia Meoli exiting Byron Bay Local Courthouse after getting behind the wheel with drugs in her system for a third time. Photograph: Savannah Pocock

A woman escaped police after running to her car - ignoring specific instructions not to get behind the wheel for at least 24 hours after returning a positive drug test.

Cecilia Meoli of Myocum, pleaded guilty at Byron Bay Local Courthouse on Monday October 24 for driving with illicit drugs, including cocaine and marijuana present in her system.

Police documents state the 32-year-old was driving southbound on Shirley Street in Byron Bay when she was pulled over for a random breath test.

Meoli had a negative blood alcohol reading but returned a positive drug result.

“The accused submitted to a roadside drug test which returned a positive detection to cannabis,” police state.

She told officers she had “smoked one joint to fall asleep” the night before.

Meoli was arrested and taken into custody at Byron Bay Police Station, where she provided a sample of oral fluid for a further drug analysis.

“She returned a positive result to cocaine,” police state.

Police released Meoli around 10.30am and issued her a notice of prohibition from driving for 24 hours.

They then observed her “walk west towards her vehicle, which was parked 200 metres away” then “run towards the driver’s side door”, sit in the driver’s seat and pull away from the kerb, court documents state.

Police jumped into a vehicle and followed her west along Shirley Street - but “lost her”.

Meoli had been issued with traffic penalty notices twice this year already - on January 29 and February 7.

Magistrate Karen Stafford was displeased Meoli had reoffended.

“You are someone who thought you could get away with it,” Ms Stafford said.

“You are not a good driver and you are not keeping the community safe.”

Ms Stafford convicted Meoli, fined her $400 and disqualified her from driving for six months.