Sophie Elizabeth Stinson: Concerned student teacher caught drink driving in western NSW

An intoxicated student teacher who was ‘concerned for her welfare’ got behind the wheel of her car before being caught by police. Read what the magistrate had to say.

Sophie Stinson appeared in Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday, October 19. Photo: Facebook

A young student teacher, worried about her safety, drove her car 100 metres before being caught by police drink driving, a court has heard.

Sophie Elizabeth Stinson, 22, appeared in Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday with her mother as she pleaded guilty to high-range drink driving following her arrest in Mendooran on September 4.

According to documents tendered to court, police sighted Stinson’s white Toyota Kluger in the early hours of the morning driving along River St.

Police followed the vehicle for a short period before activating their warning lights, to pull Stinson over for a random breath test, which resulted in a positive reading of 0.167.

Stinson was placed under arrest for further testing, recording a reading of 0.158 at Dunedoo Police Station.

According to police, at the time Stinson was driving, there were around 20 people “well affected by alcohol” walking through the Mendooran Caravan Park, who were returning from a nearby hotel.

Sophie Stinson appeared in Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday.

While the race meeting scheduled that weekend was cancelled, agreed facts say the caravan park where Stinson was driving was still well attended.

“[Stinson] was required to manoeuvre her motor vehicle along the roadway and around these caravans as she traversed the caravan ground,” agreed facts state.

On Wednesday, Stinson’s barrister Michael Powell appealed a “very rare, but not impossible” sentence for his client.

“[It is] indeed an aberration on her part, a black mark on her record,” Mr Powell said.

“First time she has fallen foul with the law.”

While noting the seriousness of the charge, being a high-range drink driving charge, Mr Powell highlighted “extenuating circumstances” which led Stinson to getting behind the wheel of her car.

He told the court Stinson parked her car near the river in Mendooran, but upon returning from the pub with her friend, they found “a group of young men … with beer, bravado and a bonfire” situated about 10 metres away.

“Two young women camped there … they were quite concerned about what could occur,” Mr Powell said.

“Sometimes these situations can get out of hand, so they were concerned for their welfare.”

As a result, Stinson decided to move her car to a nearby campground behind Mendooran police station, and was subsequently caught.

In pleading with Magistrate Mary Ryan, Mr Powell shed light on Stinson’s subjective case, explaining his client is a student teacher and as a result of losing her licence she has had to “put it on ice”.

“Few factors which can justify leniency … include that the driver has completed the traffic offender’s program, and [she] has a strong dependence on her licence,” Mr Powell said.

“The first thing she did when she got back [from Mendooran] … Stinson immediately contacted the deputy principal and told her about [the incident].”

When sentencing Stinson, Magistrate Ryan noted the “serious” nature of the offence.

“I so rarely grab non-conviction orders for this offence, because it’s a serious offence, it really is,” Magistrate Ryan said.

“What sets your case [apart from others] is the circumstances where you found yourself … you had to look after your safety and your friend.

“I am no way condoning [the behaviour] … it was one of those impossible situations.

“There is nobody else that could drive you [to the campground] … that’s the best you could do.”

Ultimately, Magistrate Ryan accepted Mr Powell’s submissions and sentenced Stinson to a 12-month conditional release order without conviction.