Former teacher Katherine Baird loses licence for 14 months after blowing 0.33 with children in the car

A once outstanding teacher and former assistant principal has lost her job and licence after blowing over six times the legal limit with her two children in the car.

A former private school assistant principal has been sentenced after she blew over six times the legal blood alcohol limit with her children in the car.

Once an outstanding teacher, Katherine Mary Baird, 45, lost her job, as well as her licence after blowing the “extraordinarily high” reading.

Police spotted a blue Mazda CX5 driving along Belair Rd at Lower Mitcham about 11.20am on September 25 and noticed Baird was using her mobile phone.

As patrols were following the car onto Grange Rd, they noticed Baird had failed to stop at a stop sign at the railway crossing.

Baird was stopped by police who say she returned a blood-alcohol reading of 0.333 – nearly seven times over the legal limit.

Former teacher Katherine Baird leaving Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday with her lawyer Stephen Ey. Picture: Dean Martin

Baird’s two sons were also in the car at the time.

The Glengowrie woman pleaded guilty in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday to using a mobile phone while driving, failing to stop or give way at a stop sign and drink driving with a child under 16 present.

“That reading is extraordinarily high, usually associated with people who are showing signs of gross intoxication,” Magistrate Ben Sale said during sentencing.

Stephen Ey, for Baird, told the court his client lost her job as a teacher as a result of the offending and now has to face the Teacher’s Registration Board.

“She’s really suffered terribly as a result of her bad behaviour,” he said.

“She’s had an outstanding career as a teacher, she’s lost what she clearly loved doing.”

Baird previously worked as an assistant principal and primary years programme co-ordinator at Immanuel Primary School, as well as listing in a teacher’s profile that she previously worked at Prince Alfred College.

Mr Ey said Baird was “completely remorseful” for her offending and was addressing her alcohol issues, which she sought refuge in following the breakdown of her marriage.

When asked by Mr Sale if Baird maintained that she only had two drinks before the offending, Mr Ey acknowledged that Baird “made something up on the spot”.

Mr Sale said the offending could have been “a hell of a lot worse” but acknowledged she had already suffered an extra penalty by losing her job.

He convicted Baird, fined her a total of $1340 and disqualified her from driving for 14 months.

“If it hadn’t been for the things you had already lost and the work that you have already done in the last almost six months the disqualification period would have been considerably higher,” Mr Sale said.

The disqualification was backdated to September 25.

Originally published as Former teacher Katherine Baird loses licence for 14 months after blowing 0.33 with children in the car