Michelle Bullas: Ringwood dentist fined for pretending to be off-duty police officer

A Ringwood dentist who claimed to be an off-duty constable and threatened to fine a man for speeding has learnt her fate in court.

Ringwood dentist Michelle Bullas was fined for pulling over a driver in Croydon and pretending to be an off-duty police officer. Picture: Stock image

A Ringwood dentist who pretended to be an off-duty cop in a road rage incident near a Croydon school has been fined, in what a judge has described as “a moment of madness”.

Michelle Bullas, 38, faced Ringwood Magistrates’ Court on June 2 and pleaded guilty after the incident near Luther College about 1.30pm on September 12.

The court heard Bullas tailgated and flashed her lights at a male driver, then drove up next to him at the intersection of Plymouth and Croydon roads, telling him she was an off-duty police officer and to pull over.

The two cars stopped near Luther College and the man, concerned of Bullas’ behaviour and credibility, began filming their discussion.

When he asked her to identify herself, Bullas replied ‘Constable Bullas. Find me.”

Bullas then accused the man of being a P-plater and said she had his registration details.

She told the man she had four other family members in the police force and to “watch yourself”.

The man told Bullas she was “not a f--king copper, you wouldn’t threaten me on camera”, to which she said “I don’t care what you do, what’s your camera going to do, good luck”, and then drove off.

Michelle Bullas and a male driver had a dispute outside Croydon Hills' Luther College on September 12, 2021. Picture: Google Street View

He reported the incident to Ringwood police who tracked down the address linked to the number plate of Bullas’ car at the home of construction company Rain City Industries in Kilsyth.

The company’s owner, Gavin Bullas, nominated his wife as the driver and provided personal details.

Police contacted Bullas, who initially agreed to a non-arrest interview over the incident, but later declined as she was seeking legal advice.

Bullas’ defence lawyer, Tom Sawyer, told the court she had been working as a dentist for eight years and had tried to branch out into the fashion industry.

He told the court her client was recovering from a marriage breakdown and was in the middle of moving house, which had impacted her behaviour.

Mr Sawyer said Bullas had two family members, a brother and stepdaughter, serving in the police force, and it “wasn’t long before everyone knew” about her incident.

He said Bullas came to the court “deeply ashamed and remorseful” for her actions, and was desperate to escape conviction due to the impact it could have on her career.

Magistrate Jan Maclean told Bullas her behaviour appeared to be “a moment of madness” and was “a person I’ve accepted otherwise as of good character”.

But she also told Bullas her actions had “undermined the community’s trust” by implying she was an off-duty police officer.

She fined Bullas $1000, and told her she would have been convicted and received a larger fine if it wasn’t for her early guilty plea.