Don Dale worker Miriam D’Abbs crashes into cop car after work drinking game

A youth justice worker who was playing drinking games with her colleagues crashed into the back of a police car.

Miriam Ruth D’Abbs appeared in Darwin Local Court on Thursday to plead guilty to careless driving and mid-range drink driving.

A Don Dale worker who was blitzed behind the wheel following a work drinking game smashed into the back of a cop car on the highway.

Miriam Ruth D’Abbs appeared in Darwin Local Court on Thursday to plead guilty to careless driving and mid-range drink driving.

Her lawyer Thelma Gray told the court that D’Abbs was a youth justice worker at Don Dale and had been taking part in a drinking game with colleagues before the crash.

Ms Gray said the workers took a shot for every award they had received, and so D’Abbs skolled three drinks of beer mixed with a shot of tequila.

She said D’Abbs had not had a single drop of alcohol since 2018, and had nothing to eat the day she took part in the work drinking game.

“She thought she was okay to drive,” Ms Gray said.

Miriam Ruth D’Abbs appeared in Darwin Local Court on Thursday to plead guilty to careless driving and mid-range drink driving.

Judge Ben O’Loughlin heard that while driving D’Abbs crossed three inbound lanes and one outbound lane of the Stuart Highway before ramming into the back of a police car near Stuart Park.

She had a blood alcohol reading of 0.135, nearly three times the legal limit.

“That should be evidence that they are drunk and should not drive,” Mr O’Loughlin said.

“The whole logic behind these laws — drink driving, dangerous driving — is that someone could have been killed.”

Ms Gray said her client was “extremely remorseful” and had not drank since the incident, calling it an “aberration”.

D’Abbs was hit with a $1200 fine plus a victims levy, and she was disqualified from driving for six months.

“Presumably we won’t see you again,” Mr O’Loughlin asked.

“Never, your honour,” D’Abbs replied.