Woman busted at three times the limit with young kids in the car

A woman who had a seven-year-old girl and a six-year-old boy in the back seat when she blew 0.185 at 10am on her fifth drink driving offence, even though she was disqualified, has been given a suspended sentence.

The Darwin Local Court heard Melissa Rubuntja, 37, was disqualified from driving when she was caught drink-driving with two young, unrestrained children in the car.

A WOMAN caught driving at three times the legal blood-alcohol limit with two young, unrestrained children in the car has been released into rehab in Alice Springs.

The Darwin Local Court heard Melissa Rubuntja, 37, was disqualified from driving when police spotted her turning into the Coles carpark from Railway Tce in a white Ford Territory shortly before 10am on January 17.

After stopping her for a random breath test, the officers notices a seven-year-old girl and a six-year-old boy sitting in the back without seatbelts on.

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When asked to produce a driver’s licence, Rubuntja admitted she did not have one and was taken to the Alice Springs watch house where she returned a blood-alcohol reading of 0.185.

When asked why she was drink-driving, Rubuntja said “They force me to drive because they didn’t want to drive” and that she didn’t know she was disqualified.

When asked if she had an emergency reason for driving Rubuntja replied: “Well I wanted to do shopping for my god-daughter”.

In handing Rubuntja a six-week suspended sentence and ordering her into residential rehab, Deputy Chief Judge Elizabeth Morris said it was “clear” Rubuntja had alcohol issues but was ready to address them.

“What is really also concerning is that at that time there were some kids in the car, not only did you have kids in the car when you were drink driving (but) they weren’t properly strapped in,” she said.

“This will be the fifth time you have been in trouble for drink-driving and the third time that you were in trouble for driving while disqualified — it’s clear that the sentences you have got in the past, which have included fines, haven’t stopped you from doing it again.”

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Ms Morris also disqualified Rubuntja from driving for a further 18 months.

“We have a really high rate of car accidents in the NT compared to everywhere else,” she said.

“These rules are in place in relation to drink-driving and seatbelts and disqualifications in order to try and reduce the accidents we have on the road.

“I warn you, don’t drive disqualified, drunk or sober, with your record, you would be looking at a jail sentence.”