Leanne Fay Bennett caught more than seven times the legal limit - two weeks Gold Coast grandmother blew 0.275

A grandmother blew a whopping seven times the legal limit, leaving a magistrate astounded: “It’s amazing she is even alive, let alone driving a vehicle.” READ THE REPORT

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A GOLD Coast granny was busted seven times the legal alcohol limit after an eight-hour bender.

She had just returned home after getting more booze at BWS.

Leanne Fay Bennett recorded the 0.353 per cent reading less than two weeks after she lost her licence for blowing 0.275 per cent.

The legal limit is 0.05 per cent.

“It’s amazing she is even alive, let alone driving a vehicle,” Magistrate Kay Philipson said about the higher reading.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Daniel McShane said it was “certainly the highest I’ve come across in my policing career.”

Leanne Fay Bennett (right) leaves Southport Magistrates Court with her solicitor Mark Donnelly.

Bennett pleaded guilty in the Southport Magistrates Court on Friday to two counts of driving under the influence and one count each of driving without due care and attention, driving without a licence and failing to provide a specimen breathe.

Magistrate Philipson sentenced Bennett to two years probation and disqualified her from driving for three years.

The 54-year old was also fined $1200.

“I am absolutely astounded you were behind the wheel of a vehicle,” she said.

“You are so lucky you did not injure or kill someone because you would be sitting in a jail cell and you would be going back there I think.”

Sen Const McShane said police were called to a crash in Tugun about 6pm on August 13 this year.

Leanne Fay Bennett (right) leaves Southport Magistrates Court with her solicitor Mark Donnelly.

Bennett was sitting in her Toyota Corolla after rear-ending a Kia Rio in a turning lane.

She was breath-tested and her licence was immediately suspended.

Sen Const McShane said police were called about 2.30pm on August 26 when a member of the public saw a car driving erratically in Coomera.

He said a man watched her walk into BWS and then get back in her car and drive off.

Concerned, the member of the public followed Bennett.

Sen Const McShane said Bennett was seen driving erratically including swerving on to the wrong side of the road, almost causing a crash on a roundabout and crashing into the centre island.

Bennett parked at her home and went inside.

When police arrived at the home, they found Bennett on the couch with keys in her hand.

Her mother told police Bennett had been driving.

Bennett refused a breath test but a blood test was taken at the hospital.

Bennett’s lawyer Mark Donnelly said Bennett was struggling with an alcohol problem after being told a foot injury from a car crash would never fully heal.

Mr Donnelly said Bennett, a grandmother of two, was booked into rehabilitation and last drank on Wednesday.

Bennett was a hospitality worker at the airport but lost her job in May.

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