Hayley Johnston caught drink driving for the third time
A serial drink driver who has now been caught out three times was on her way home from a Fleetwood Mac cover gig when she was found driving at more than twice the legal limit.
St George Shire Standard
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A serial drink driver has run out of chances to avoid conviction after she was caught over the limit for the third time on her way home from a Fleetwood Mac cover gig.
Hayley Johnston, 29, was convicted and disqualified for three months after she pleaded guilty to mid-range drink driving at more than twice the legal limit at Waterfall in the early hours of September 7.
Johnston told police she had “wine and a shot of Patron” at a friend’s house after she was pulled over at the RMS inspection bay on the Princes Hwy and subsequently blew 0.101.
It is now the third time Johnston has been charged with drink driving, after she was convicted for mid-range drink driving in May 2011 and special range drink driving in October 2010.
In a letter to the court, Johnston expressed her remorse for her “foolish conduct”.
“On this night a friend of mine in Cronulla had surprised me and said he was taking me out to finally have a night to enjoy myself as I never go out nor do anything for myself,” Johnston wrote.
“He shouted me tickets to see a cover of my favourite old band Fleetwood Mac.”
Johnston then received an urgent phone call informing her that her infant son was ill, prompting her fateful decision to attempt to drive home.
“I said I would walk back to my friend’s house and lay down for a couple of hours and have some food and water to try and make sure I wasn’t over the limit,” Johnston wrote.
“After doing so I made the most stupid decision I’ve made in a really long time.”
Magistrate Michael Connell at Sutherland Local Court acknowledged Johnston was experiencing emotional and financial hardship due to her personal circumstances but said her criminal and traffic history did not assist her appeal for leniency.
“All of the material before the court does evoke considerable sympathy for the offender,” Mr Connell told the court.
“There are two prior drink driving matters … that would emphasise the need for specific deterrence, this being the third drink driving offence before the court.”
Johnston has paid a whopping $5065 in fines for criminal and traffic offences since she obtained her provisional licence in 2008.