
A Riverina support worker has escaped a jail sentence due to her good record after she was caught on a high range drink-driving offence in Wagga earlier this year.
The Rock's Ashley Jane Coombe, 30, was convicted on a charge of driving with a high range PCA in the Wagga Local Court on Wednesday.
Magistrate Rebecca Hosking told Coombe it was thanks to her good record that she did not receive a jail sentence for the incident which unfolded in Wagga on September 11.
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About 12.10am, police were patrolling the area when they stopped a silver Holden Commodore sedan travelling north on Tobruk Street in Ashmont for a random breath test.
Approaching the driver, Coombe, police introduced themselves and noticed a strong smell of intoxicating liquor coming from the vehicle.
After police asked if she had consumed any alcohol recently, Coombe replied, "I had about four Captain Morgan spiced rum drinks."
Coombe undertook a roadside breath test which returned a positive result and police placed her under arrest, taking her to Wagga police station.
While in custody Coombe was asked a number of questions and police observations of her led them to form the opinion she was moderately affected by intoxicating liquor.
A subsequent breath analysis returned a high range reading of 0.165.
Appearing in the court this week, her solicitor David Barron said it was his client's "first time before the court."
Mr Barron told the court Coombe had two prior traffic offences on her record but no other matters.
The court heard she is a support worker with a young family.
"I've discussed the serious nature of a high range drink driv[ing with her]," Mr Barron said.
In sentencing Coombe, Magistrate Hosking took both her early guilty plea and her clean record into account.
"I appreciate given your criminal record and traffic, it's out of character," she said.
"[But] it's not an accident either."
Magistrate Hosking told Coombe the seriousness of drink driving was "highly publicised among [Coombe's] generation" and said "the only thing standing between [her] and a custodial sentence" was her good record.
Coombe was convicted and disqualified for driving for six months after which the magistrate ordered her to hold an interlock driver licence for two years.
She was also fined $1100.
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