Byron Bay Great Northern pub worker crashes into a tree after drinking on the job

An ex-Byron Bay pub worker has been forced to front court after drinking shots on the job and wrapping her Jeep around a tree. Here’s how she fared.

Michela Flory Perrett, 23, (dressed in red) leaves Byron Bay Court

A Great Northern Pub employee has been fired for drinking on the job after she wrapped her Jeep around a tree on her way home from work in Byron Bay.

Michela Flory Perrett, of Byron Bay, pleaded guilty at Byron Bay Court on Monday to driving while intoxicated, returning a blood alcohol reading of 0.098 – almost twice the legal limit.

Court documents state it was a rainy night when the 23-year-old’s car lost traction while making a right-hand turn from Byron St onto Fletchers St at 4am on December 3, 2022.

The car mounted the kerb, travelled over a garden bed and crashed into a tree and a wheel became lodged on a thick tree branch.

The intersection where the crash occured. Picture: Google

The front of the car was badly damaged in the crash.

A passenger riding in the car was not injured, but Perrett suffered minor injuries to her face when the car’s airbags were deployed, police documents state.

Police arrived and noticed Perrett had a United Kingdom driver’s licence.

They asked her if she had any alcohol and she claimed she had not.

“No. I just finished work,” Perrett told police.

However, she was breath tested and returned the positive reading.

She then admitted to drinking three shots of vodka with orange juice between 7.30 and 11.30pm at the Great Northern, while on shift.

Perrett lost her job after she was caught drink driving, the court heard.

Magistrate Karen Stafford said: “Hospitality workers drink driving in Byron Bay late at night is just too prevalent.”

She fined Perrett $800 and disqualified her from holding a driver’s licence for six months.