Larah Cook admits to drink driving after crashing into Porsche while seven times over legal limit

The daughter of a controversial property mogul was busted fleeing a drink-driving crash in South Yarra after a daytime booze bender.

Larah Cook, the daughter of property developer John Woodman, has faced the Melbourne Magistrates' Court over drink driving. Picture: Supplied

The daughter of controversial property mogul John Woodman was nabbed by police driving her Land Rover through swanky South Yarra while almost seven times over the legal limit.

Larah Cook, 42, fronted the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday where she escaped conviction for driving with a “dangerously high” blood alcohol reading.

The court heard the drink-driving mum was behind the wheel of her luxury SUV in February on a Friday afternoon when she collided with a Porsche at the intersection of Domain Rd and Walsh St.

It was 3.30pm and a quick-thinking witness filmed Ms Cook’s car as she drove off in the moments after the collision.

Two police officers, who attended the scene, obtained the footage and identified the car as belonging to Ms Cook before they saw the very same Land Rover driving down Walsh St.

After they intercepted the vehicle, “white scrape marks” consistent with the damage sustained by the Porsche were observed on the car.

Ms Cook is the daughter of property developer John Woodman. Picture: Facebook

The mum of three pleaded guilty to drink driving. Picture: Shane Nichols

According to charge sheets released by the court, the 42-year-old had also driven on a nature strip and failed to “drive to the left of the dividing line”.

An evidentiary breath test completed at a local police station found Ms Cook had an alleged blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .341.

Any person with a BAC over .3 is at risk of “possible coma” or “possible death”, according to the VicRoads website.

When asked by police about her blood alcohol reading, Ms Cook replied: “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Then, when asked about the collision, she said: “It wasn’t really a collision.”

The court did not hear how Ms Cook came to have a blood alcohol reading so high.

Ms Cook is the daughter of Ferrari-driving developer John Woodman, who has been the centre of a long-running corruption probe over allegedly dodgy land deals involving the City of Casey.

In 2019 and 2020, the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission investigated Mr Woodman as part of its Operation Sandon hearings.

Premier Daniel Andrews was questioned over his association with Mr Woodman during a private hearing before the Commission.

The report outlining IBAC’s findings was expected to be tabled to state parliament later this month, but the Herald Sun understands Mr Woodman has launched an eleventh-hour legal bid to block its release.

John Woodman was questioned by IBAC in 2019. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Ms Cook’s defence lawyer Sophie Parsons told the court that her client was suffering from “acute stress” in February due to the breakdown of her marriage.

She said Ms Cook, who pleaded guilty to drink driving and several other driving offences, has confronted her “problematic behaviour” which caused the incident.

“She has sought intensive treatment and counselling, which she intends to continue,” Ms Parsons said.

Magistrate Vincenzo Caltabiano told Ms Cook a BAC of .341 was a “dangerously high” reading which could have had “very serious consequences”.

He said he had taken into account Ms Cook’s efforts to address her “underlying issues” and her continued sobriety since February.

The mum of three, who appeared visibly emotional, was told by Mr Caltabiano to try to “relax” as he sentenced her.

“I can see that this is having an impact on you,” he said.

She was fined $1000 without conviction.

Mr Caltabiano also disqualified her from driving for 24 months, effective from February 17, and ordered her licence be cancelled.