Patricia Mayumi Gibson: Redfern nanny caught driving almost three times legal limit on Christmas

A Sydney magistrate has issued a strong warning to a Redfern nanny was nabbed drink driving almost three times the legal limit on Christmas Day. Read the full story:

Patricia Mayumi Gibson appeared in Downing Centre Local Court on Monday.

A Redfern teacher doubling as a part-time nanny almost blew three times the legal alcohol limit after working on Christmas Day.

Patricia Mayumi Gibson, 46, appeared in Sydney Downing Centre Local Court on Monday, pleading guilty to mid-range drink driving.

According to an agreed set of facts tendered to court, Gibson was driving on Cooper Street, Redfern just before midnight on Christmas Day last year before being pulled over by police.

When producing her driver’s licence, police say Gibson “smelt slightly of intoxicating liquor” and she was subsequently subjected to a roadside breath test, returning a positive result.

After being arrested and taken to Mascot Police Station, she returned a reading of 0.141.

The facts showed police believed Gibson was “moderately affected by intoxicating liquor” when driving.

Sydney Downing Centre Local Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

In speaking with police at the station, Gibson admitted to drinking three glasses of wine on an empty stomach between 8.45pm and 9.50pm.

In court on Monday, Gibson’s lawyer Mr Johnson said his client had been working as a nanny “during the daytime on Christmas Day” and in the afternoon she spent time at her sister’s place in Woolwich.

The court heard Gibson received her licence in 1994 and had a clean record until 2012, where she has since racked up “half a dozen” infringements since.

Mr Johnson said his client was “deeply embarrassed and ashamed” of her actions on Christmas Day and has learnt about the dangers of driving drunk after completing the traffic offender’s program.

Mr Johnson said his client had only drunk three glasses of wine, which was questioned by Magistrate Greg Grogin.

In assessing the offence, Magistrate Grogin rejected Gibson’s claims over the quantity of drinks she consumed throughout the night.

“You were at the utmost limit of mid-range [drink driving], it also means at that stage you would have known well and truly been affected by alcohol,” Magistrate Grogin said.

“You were 0.141, so you were putting yourself at risk [and] other road users.

“They must have been bucket sized, three glasses of wine would not put you at that limit.

“Your record is not the worst I’ve seen, this is an aberration.”

Ultimately, Magistrate Grogin said a message must be sent to the community, convicting Gibson and fining her $900.

She was disqualified from driving for three months which was backdated to the date of the offence where she will then be required to install an interlock device for 12 months.