A pregnant jockey was caught four times over the legal alcohol limit while driving to get food at 9.45am one week before Christmas.
Amanda Thomson recorded a blood alcohol limit of 0.195 per cent after she was stopped by police in Edmonton, Cairns, on December 18 last year.
The 31-year-old former Townsville apprentice jockey of the year is due to give birth to her first child on Friday, Cairns Post reported.
In November, Thomson failed a breath test during track work and was handed a five-month riding ban.
Jockey Amanda Thomson was caught four times over the legal alcohol limit while driving to get food at 9.45am one week before Christmas
The 31-year-old former Townsville apprentice jockey of the year is due to give birth to her first child on Friday
The jockey was also suspended from racing for one-month in 2018 after sending an abuse text message to another rider.
Thomson has two previous drink driving convictions, The Cairns Magistrates Court heard.
One of the convictions was in July 2019 – five months before the latest offence – and she lost her licence for nine months.
This meant Thomson was also hit with a charge of disqualified driving over the December incident.
She pleaded guilty to both drink driving and disqualified driving in court on Tuesday.
Defence solicitor Bebe Mellick told the court his client is due to give birth at the end of the week and has abstained from alcohol since being caught in November.
Thomson recorded a blood alcohol limit of 0.195 per cent after she was stopped by police in Edmonton, Cairns, on December 18 last year (stock image)
The pregnancy forced Thomson to give up track work in March and she is currently dependent on her partner, Mr Mellick said.
Magistrate Alan Comans said he ‘certainly came close’ to putting Thomson behind bars due to prior offending.
‘It’s dangerous and it endangers public safety,’ he said.
‘For some people in your situation who persistently drink drive … it can warrant (jail time).’
Thomson was sentenced to 12 months probation and her licence was disqualified for three years.
Source:
