Lesley Ann Rogers found driving more than six times over the legal alcohol limit on lifetime licence ban

A South West woman has received a second lifetime driving ban in 12 months after crashing her car into a power pole while driving with a blood alcohol level reading six times the legal limit. Lesley Ann Rogers, 59, was on Monday sentenced in Bunbury Magistrates Court for one count each of driving under the influence and no authority to drive after returning the “exceptionally high” DUI reading following the crash in November. The court heard the offending marked Roger’s fourth DUI charge. About 11.30am on November 18, Rogers was driving along Gibson Street in South Bunbury when she failed to slow down and navigate a T-intersection. Her vehicle ploughed through the Clarke Street intersection, striking a power pole on the opposing side. The woman sustained multiple injuries and was conveyed to Bunbury Regional Hospital where a blood test was conducted, returning a BAC of 0.336. Officers discovered the woman’s licence was on a lifetime disqualification from a previous DUI offence in 2022. Prosecuting Sgt Troy Gildersleeve told the court the offending marked Roger’s fourth DUI charge, noting the previous 2022 offence for which the lifetime ban was handed down also returned a significant reading of 0.328 — also more than six times the legal limit. He said he was concerned at how she managed to get behind the wheel in such an intoxicated state, describing her as an “extreme risk” to the public. “People can’t function with that much alcohol in their system, let alone drive a car,” he said. The woman’s duty counsel told the court she had found a “sense of stability” since the time of offending, attending alcohol anonymous meetings as well as volunteering and attending further counselling sessions. Prior to sentencing, Rogers had also completed the alcohol and other drug diversion program, with community corrections reporting she had “done well” on the program. Magistrate Joanne Andretich handed down a 12-month suspended imprisonment term as sentence, noting a “number of issues” that brought Rogers to these repeated offences, and putting several program requirements in place to ensure she received the help she needed.