Helen Joanne Ferguson sentenced for drink driving in Queanbeyan

A Queanbeyan business owner and prominent art identity has told police she was only giving a mate a lift home after getting behind the wheel with several wines in her system.

Helen Joanne Ferguson outside Queanbeyan Local Court.

A Queanbeyan business owner and local art identity has been sentenced for drink driving after giving her friend a lift home from a Halloween function.

Helen Joanne Ferguson was driving along Stornaway Rd in Queanbeyan in the early hours of October 30, 2022, when she was seen driving slowly and drifting across the road by police.

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According to the agreed statement of facts, when officers approached the 52-year-old’s window they could smell liquor with Ferguson telling officers she had her last drink in the past 15 minutes.

After testing positive roadside for alcohol, she later returned a blood-alcohol content of .090 per cent.

Helen Joanne Ferguson.

Court documents say Ferguson told officers she had three wines at a private Halloween party with friends prior to driving and did not eat much that evening.

Ferguson told police she was driving a short distance to drop her intoxicated friend home before she was stopped by police on her return trip to Queanbeyan.

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The Queanbeyan business owner’s defence team said she was “embarrassed” by the police interaction, with officers at the time noting Ferguson was “very polite, remorseful, cooperative and compliant” during the incident.

Ferguson pleaded guilty to mid range drink driving and was sentenced to a conditional release order of 12 months, with no conviction recorded.