Jessie Elvin sentenced in Townsville Magistrates Court for ‘extremely high’ drink-driving

A manager at one of the ‘Big Four’ consultancies has lost her licence after she was found driving more than four times the legal limit on a major Townsville road. Shockingly, it was her third DUI.

Jessie Elvin, who works at KPMG Townsville, has been sentenced for high-range drink-driving.

A manager at one of the ‘Big Four’ consultancies has lost her license after she was caught by police drink-driving more than four times the legal limit on a major Townsville road.

Police prosecutor Danny Bourke said that around 1:30am on July 3 this year, North Ward woman Jessie Elvin, 33, was randomly pulled over by police on patrol driving along Stuart Drive in Wulguru.

He said Elvin was given a breathalyser test which came back with a reading of .216, more than four times the legal limit.

She was “incoherently slurring” and was taken back to a police station, the court heard.

Elvin, who was recently elevated to manager at KPMG Townsville, according to her LinkedIn, pleaded guilty to a charge of high-range drink-driving.

Mr Bourke said Elvin had a two-page traffic history that, concerningly, included two previous drink drives on the Gold Coast.

“It certainly seems like she has an issue with alcohol,” he said.

Lawyer Adam Mussap from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service said Elvin’s father was going through mental health issues, which caused her distress.

“On the day she was at a friend’s, she was drinking. He has called her and she has just wanted to go home, it’s upset her a lot and she decided to leave,” he said.

“I did discuss with her binge-drinking. She seems to have an issue with alcohol.”

Magistrate Viviana Keegan said she was thankful Elvin was pulled over when she was, saying it was a “very high reading”.

“She was clearly a danger to herself and/or other road users,” Magistrate Keegan said.

Mr Mussap said a strong sentence would impact her work in consulting, saying part of her role requires her to work remotely and interstate.

“The impact upon her to not have a license is certainly going to affect her ability to perform her role,” he said.

“Probation, in my submission, would be the ideal sentence to perhaps address that issue she has with binge-drinking and certainly getting behind the wheel.”

Mr Mussap suggested she undergo alcohol or driving programs due to her problems with alcohol.

“She doesn’t have any children, she finished year 12 and she’s a full-time worker,” he said.

Magistrate Keegan said taking into account the “extremely-high reading”, the act was a risk to both Ms Elvin and others and was concerning that she has two other relevant drink driving charges.

“At times you drink to excess, I don’t think this can be appropriately dealt with by way of a fine,” she said.

“You work full-time, which is great, and you need a license for work; however this is too significant and it will be a significant license disqualification.”

She received a probation order of 9 months, a traffic conviction was recorded and her license was disqualified for 18 months.

Originally published as Jessie Elvin sentenced in Townsville Magistrates Court for ‘extremely high’ drink-driving