Brigitte Wilson charged with drink driving

A young manager at Afterpay who was caught drink-driving at more than twice the limit after attending a client event was subsequently offered an international promotion, a court heard.

Brigitte Wilson, 25, leaves Downing Centre Local Court in February 2023 after being sentenced for mid-range drink driving.

A young partnerships manager at Afterpay who was caught drink-driving at more than double the limit after attending a client event was subsequently offered a major international promotion, a court has heard.

Brigitte Wilson, 25, pleaded guilty to mid-range drink-driving in Pyrmont on December 9 last year after she attended a client event nearby.

The court heard Wilson – an ads and affiliate partner manager at buy now pay later company Afterpay – blew 0.116 when police pulled her over.

“The accused was observed stopping short of the testing site and conducting a sudden U-turn before travelling in the opposite direction,” police facts tendered to Downing Centre Local Court state.

“(Once police apprehended her) the accused told police she had consumed four to five alcoholic drinks, (consisting of) vodka and margaritas.”

Police state the Dee Why woman told them she had consumed the beverages between 7pm and 9pm that night.

Brigitte Wilson (centre).

At court, Wilson represented herself after her lawyer was unable to attend due to illness.

“I was at a work conference event for one of my clients,” Wilson said.

“I did experience social anxiety and the pressure to perform for my current role.”

Wilson described her assessment of how much alcohol she had consumed as a “complete lapse of judgment”.

The court also heard Wilson had been offered a promotion since the drink-driving incident to work with Afterpay’s UK arm Clearpay in London.

Magistrate Holly Kemp was unmoved by Wilson’s concerns a conviction would imperil her chance of obtaining a UK work visa.

“You got it wrong by a long shot,” Ms Kemp told Wilson.

“Your example is quite serious given the (alcohol reading) – it’s not within my discretion to not record a conviction.”

Ms Kemp acknowledged Wilson was remorseful, had completed the traffic offender program and was otherwise someone who contributed positively to the community.

Wilson was convicted, fined $300 and disqualified from driving for six months backdated to December 9 after she was immediately suspended.

She was given an exemption from obtaining an interlock licence due to her plan to move overseas within weeks.

An online profile confirms Wilson – who recently resided in Hunters Hill – graduated from Loreto Kirribilli in 2015.