Sandra Buckley on high range drink drive charge at Tweed court

A Northern NSW woman impacted by the 2022 floods has found herself in court after a ‘foolish’ decision to drive after drinks at a local pub. How court dealt with the matter.

Sandra Buckley, 59, appeared before Tweed Heads Local Court on October 17, where she pleaded guilty to drink driving on a high-range PCA.

A Kingscliff woman has found herself in court after foolishly driving home after having three glasses of wine at Chinderah Tavern.

Sandra Buckley, 59, appeared before Tweed Heads Local Court on October 17, when she pleaded guilty to drink driving with a high-range PCA.

Police facts state Buckley was driving on Wommin Bay Drive, Chinderah on September 22 when she was stopped a short distance from the intersection of Phillip Street.

Police spoke to Buckley before she provided a breath analysis which returned a reading of 0.163.

Buckley’s lawyer said his client made a foolish decision driving home: “It was raining heavily, and she decided to drive home and didn’t consider a Plan B”.

“She has significant involvement in her family and does a lot of caring and babysitting.”

Buckley has also completed the traffic offenders program and has been receiving alcohol counselling.

The court heard Buckley lost everything in the 2022 floods, the stress of which had led to her unfortunate situation.

Police facts state Buckley was driving a motor vehicle on Wommin Bay Drive, Chinderah on September 22 when she was stopped a short distance from the intersection of Phillip Street.

Magistrate Jeff Linden commended Buckley for her lengthy letter of apology and a plea of guilty at the first opportunity: “You’ve taken the situation by the scruff of the neck,” he said.

Buckley was convicted, had her licence suspended for six months and is subject to an interlock order for two years. She was also sentenced to a community corrections order of 12 months.