Nadia Bartel blames marriage breakdown with Jimmy Bartel for legal troubles

Nadia Bartel has avoided a conviction in court, blaming her marriage split from Jimmy Bartel for being caught behind the wheel while suspended.

Former AFL WAG Nadia Bartel has blamed her marriage breakdown with Jimmy Bartel for being caught behind the wheel while suspended, as she was slapped with an $1100 fine for her licence oversight.

Bartel, 36, was stopped in her black Range Rover by Prahran Highway Patrol officers while driving along Dandenong Rd near her Windsor home about 12.30pm on August 25 last year.

Appearing in the online Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, the mother of two pleaded guilty to driving while suspended and failing to update her address.

Bartel sat quietly throughout the hearing, in which her lawyer Sarah Pratt successfully pushed that she avoid a conviction.

Nadia Bartel says she had no idea her license was suspended when she was caught. Picture: Instagram

Ms Pratt said Bartel was “embarrassed” when she was intercepted as she had no idea her licence had been suspended for three months after accruing the maximum demerit points.

The court heard a letter notifying her of the suspension had been sent to the St Kilda West property she had shared with her ex-husband.

She never received it having moved from that address in December 2020.

Bartel admitted she had failed to notify authorities of her change of address.

But Ms Pratt said the offending happened “in the course of a marriage separation” and a pandemic.

The socialite, who has her own fashion brand, Henne, split from her husband, a former Geelong Cats three-time premiership player and Brownlow medallist, in August 2019.

They had been married for five years and had two sons together.

Ms Pratt told the court that Bartel was the primary carer for the children.

She asked that Bartel not be punished with a further licence suspension as she juggled single parenting life with two separate school drops-off and pick-ups in the mornings and afternoons.

“It’s honest in the backdrop of a marriage breakdown and in the pandemic with two young children,” Ms Pratt said.

She said as soon as Bartel became aware she was suspended, she relied on Ubers for travel when on her own, and her parents had child seats in their car to help with driving the children around.

“She obviously didn’t drive for the remaining period,” Ms Pratt said.

Magistrate Hayley Bate said every motorist had a responsibility to be aware of their licence status.

“It was an honest but not necessarily a reasonable mistake,” Ms Bate said.

“She understands that it is her obligation to ensure that any redirection of mail or the like, is being appropriately affected.

“She had an obligation to make sure she was aware of the status of her licence, and that’s why she enters a plea of guilty.”

Nadia Bartel relies on Uber and her parents to get around town with her children. Picture: Sam Tabone

When Ms Bate asked how much Bartel earned so she could take it into consideration when sentencing her, Ms Pratt said: “I am not aware, but she would be able to afford a fine of a couple of thousand of dollars”.

Ms Bate did not mark a conviction against Bartel’s name, fining her $1100.

“I will not interfere with her licence so she can go about her parenting duties as she is required,” Ms Bate said.

“Had there been anything aggravating on that date, or she hadn’t have been forthcoming or cooperative with police as she was, I certainly would be considering a further period off the road, together with a conviction.”

The court heard she did not have her children in the car with her on the day, but that she had been to the supermarket.

Police did not impound her car on the day because she had groceries for her children inside.

Her roadside interception came a week before Bartel made headlines when an incriminating video surfaced showing her snorting a white powder at an illegal party with friends that took place during one of Melbourne’s many lockdowns.

She was not charged with any criminal offences over the white powder scandal, but did cop a $5452 fine for breaching COVID-19 rules.

At the time she apologised to her fans on social media, saying: “I take full responsibility and I am committed to taking all necessary steps to ensure I make better choices in future.”