Melanie Tiarne-Lee Cogger, 26 or Gardiner Road, faced Orange Local Court after registering a blood alcohol reading of 0.132, almost three times the legal limit.

Police observed Cogger park a white Hyundai Accent opposite the police station on Byng Street just before 1.30am on October 13 and cross the road on foot to enter the building.

Cogger asked to see her loved one in police custody, who had been arrested earlier in the night, and police asked whether she had been consuming alcohol.

She replied she had and police tested her. 

Asked why she had driven to the station, she told officers she had no other way of getting there.

However, she later admitted she panicked and in hindsight, she should have caught a taxi.

She told police she had consumed four schooners of beer between 6.30pm and 12.45am.

Her licence was immediately confiscated.

In court, solicitor Josh Pigott said his client was an operations supervisor and held a position of trust with her employer.

“She’s been catching a taxi to [work] and drives to Sydney every three weeks to spend time with family,” he said.

However he acknowledged she had three previous infringements on her provisional licence, but no convictions.

Magistrate David Day noted Cogger did not drive as part of her work.

“It was well towards the top of the mid-range. Everyone feels affected at 0.1 and she was 0.13,” he said.

Mr Day fined Cogger $880 and disqualified her for five months. 

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