Androulla Koukoulis pleads guilty to drunk driving at the Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court

A Melbourne psychologist who previously worked for the Department of Justice and Corrections has been told to watch her drinks before getting behind the wheel.

Androulla Koukoulis fronted Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court, where she pleaded guilty to drunk driving.

A Melbourne psychologist who previously worked for the Department of Justice has been told to watch her drinks before getting behind the wheel.

Androulla Koukoulis, 37, fronted Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, where she pleaded guilty to drunk driving.

In August last year, Koukoulis, who also works as a child psychologist, was driving a silver Hyundai Tucson when she entered a booze testing station on Keilor Park Dr in Keilor East, where officers detected alcohol on her breath.

Further breath testing revealed Koukoulis had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.128, and her licence was immediately suspended.

Koukoulis’ defence lawyer told the court her client worked as a psychologist for 12 years, was formerly employed by the Department of Justice and Corrections, and “never thought she would be in front of a court”.

“She is on the frontline (in society), and this is fairly out of character … she was driving back from her mother-in-law’s house where she drank (alcohol) at 6pm,” she said.

The court heard Koukoulis “worked at two ends of the city” and had difficulty living her everyday life without her licence.

“Her husband helps her get around … she is unable to pick up her kids from school and sports,” the defence lawyer said.

“Professionally, for one of her jobs, she sees children as a psychologist, and she’s tried moving that to telehealth, but it’s hard to do that with kids, so she had to drop clients who had to then move to other professionals.”

Magistrate Adriano Serratore told Koukoulis she had to monitor the amount of alcohol she consumed before behind the wheel.

“I can see you are very remorseful and embarrassed,” he said.

Koukoulis was released on a good behaviour undertaking without conviction, ordered to donate $400 to the court fund and had her licence suspended for one year.