Michelle Yelland: Former dental nurse sentenced for Springvale Road drink-driving

A woman has learnt her fate in court after she downed at least five drinks, got behind the wheel and tried to cut through a Mulgrave petrol station to escape police.

Michelle Yelland has been sentenced after she was pulled over by police and recorded a blood alcohol reading of .216. File picture.

A former dental nurse has sobbed on camera for her “awful” actions after she was caught drink-driving more than four times over the legal limit.

Michelle Yelland, 49, was sentenced in the Ringwood Magistrates’ Court on July 6 after police pulled her up in Mulgrave on March 29, 2021.

Yelland was spotted by police about 9am after another car slammed on the brakes when she turned onto Springvale Rd.

It led to a pursuit down the road and through the BP service station on the corner of Wellington Rd, before Yelland eventually stopped on a driveway on Springvale Rd East, claiming it was her home.

Police breath-tested Yelland and she recorded a blood alcohol reading of .216, which led to an automatic 12-month driver’s licence suspension and her car being towed away.

The court heard Yelland, who pleaded guilty to drink driving, was “scared and confused” and thought officers were pursuing another car.

She also told officers during an interview that she didn’t know she was over the blood alcohol limit, despite having at least five glasses of wine while out in Richmond and the Docklands.

Yelland, who appeared via video link as she had a broken ankle, interrupted Prosecutor Senior Constable Jordan Gallagher-Lyon during his summary and said the incident “was awful and I’ve been an awful person”.

Her lawyer Rebecca Macdougall said Yelland had worked as a dental nurse for more than 30 years, but was unemployed and looking to forge a new career as a support worker.

She also said Yelland had experienced a “traumatic” past two years but was getting back on track with the help of her counsellor.

Magistrate Christina Windisch told Yelland she was forced to give her a mandatory 21 month drivers licence suspension due to her high blood alcohol reading.

The suspension was backdated to the date of her offending, and means she will be able to get behind the wheel again in late December.

Ms Windisch also put Yelland on a 12-month good behaviour bond and spared her a conviction as she had no prior matters.