Mother of two caught drink-driving for the fifth time is jailed for three months, bailed on appeal
A sozzled Seaford mum caught drink-driving for the fifth time has been given three months behind bars, with a gasp heard from the courtroom as the sentence was read out. But she still walked free from court after immediately appealing the sentence.
South East
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A sozzled Seaford single mum caught drink-driving for the fifth time has been sentenced to three months behind bars.
There was an audible gasp from the courtroom as mother of two Marielouise Bondarenko, 49, was jailed for yet another over-the-legal-limit crime.
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Frankston Magistrates’ Court on Monday morning heard Bondarenko drove into a Cranbourne Rd, Langwarrin booze bus site at around 9pm on October 27 last year.
She blew .051, telling officers she had been drinking cider.
But she should have had no alcohol in her system and an interlock device fitted to her car due to a previous drink-drive ban.
She was banned again on the spot.
Bondarenko has a litany of priors on her rap sheet, including four previous drink drives — one of which was .213 — and two driving while disqualified offences.
In court Bondarenko’s defence lawyer said his client — who had four previous drink-driving and two driving while disqualified offences — began drinking heavily in 2011.
He told the court Bondarenko became addicted to alcohol and had tried AA, but it didn’t work.
Bondarenko had been diagnosed with liver cirrhosis and had driven to a friend’s place on the day she was caught drink-drinking, he said.
In calling for a community corrections order, her lawyer said she was involved in a detox program which included intensive rehabilitation.
But Magistrate Luisa Bazzani said the request was well off the mark.
Ms Bazzani said Bondarenko had been given chance after chance, and failed.
“This is straight bang in the middle of going to jail,” Ms Bazzani said.
“I don’t know how she didn’t get a jail term before. She is just not learning.”
“How many times do we give her an opportunity before she kills someone?”
Bondarenko was jailed for three months and disqualified from driving for three years.
Her lawyer appealed and she was granted bail on condition she lives at her Seaford home and doesn’t drive.
She will face the County Court on June 21.