Ourimbah: Pelican lady Wendy Gillespie convicted of failing to undergo breath test after crash

Wildlife advocate Wendy Gillespie has vowed to quit bird rescues after she carried on like a pelican towards police when she crashed her car in the mud while affected by alcohol.

Pelican rescuer Wendy Gillespie (right), 63, of Ourimbah, leaving Gosford Local Court with her solicitor Kayla Nielsen (left) after Gillespie pleaded guilty to refusing a breath test after a crash. Picture: NewsLocal

Pelican lady Wendy Gillespie said she was giving up rescuing sick or injured birds after fronting court charged with refusing to undergo a breath test.

The 63-year-old from Ourimbah had previously pleaded guilty to the offence but applied to have the charge dealt with under mental health provisions rather than at law.

However her solicitor Kayla Nielsen withdrew the Section 14 Mental Health application when Gillespie fronted Gosford Local Court on Thursday and instead asked that her client’s longstanding mental illness be taken into account.

Ms Nielsen said Gillespie had managed to become a leader in her field — where she was known as the “pelican rescuer” — with a Masters degree in environmental studies despite an abusive childhood.

Ms Nielsen said Gillespie was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that manifested in symptoms of fear, distrust of authority and aggression, which triggered her offending on the night.

Pelican rescuer Wendy Gillespie (bottom right) in her natural habitat. Picture: Sue Graham

An agreed set of facts states Gillespie was driving a Mitsubishi panel van on Gilda Drive, Narara, when she failed to negotiate a sweeping bend near the intersection of Mangrove Rd and collided with an embankment about 10.45pm on Saturday, September 30.

“The vehicle has become bogged in the mud on the embankment and got stuck,” the facts state.

Pelican lady Gillespie said she was giving up rescuing injured of sick wildlife after her court proceedings. (File image)

“The accused has attempted to remove her vehicle by accelerating which has only caused the vehicle to become more stuck.”

According to court documents, nearby residents came out to check and noticed she was affected by alcohol so they called police.

Almost an hour later police arrived and she underwent a roadside test which returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.193 — nearly four times the limit.

“When the accused was informed she was under arrest she became verbally abusive towards police accusing them of being in cahoots with local politicians to kill marine wildlife,” the facts state.

Officers tried to escort her into the back of a caged vehicle but Gillespie was “belligerent and continued to verbally abuse police”.

They eventually got her back to Gosford Police Station where the agreed facts state she accused officers of being corrupt, refused to listen and threatened to assault them.

Police tried to explain that she needed to do a secondary breath test but she refused to leave the dock area so they charged her.

The facts state police had spoken to Gillespie since the incident, when they believed she was “more sober”, but she continued to “display the same aggressive behaviour” towards officers and refused to “listen to reason”.

Magistrate Les Brennan convicted Gillespie, put her on a conditional release order for 12 months and disqualified her from driving for six months.

With the time she has already been off the road Gillespie is eligible to get her licence back immediately but will have to have an interlock device fitted for a further 24 months.

Outside court Gillespie said she was through with rescuing wildlife given everything that had happened and the lack of “support” she received from politicians and the community.