Private school mum who convinced a judge she was five times over the limit due to drinking a health tonic admits flipping her Mercedes while driving with drugs in her system
A private school mum who was cleared of drink-driving after she blamed an alcohol level almost five times the legal limit on a health supplement has admitted flipping her Mercedes with drugs in her system.
Natasha Jansen first made headlines after falling asleep behind the wheel outside her children’s school sports grounds at Northbridge on Sydney’s lower north shore in July 2024.
The mother-of-two initially recorded a roadside breath test reading of 0.243, then registered a second reading of 0.193 after being taken to Chatswood police station.
More than a year later, her lawyer successfully argued Jansen’s blood alcohol reading could have been caused by her skincare regime, combined with a reflux condition.
Solicitor Michael Bowe told Hornsby Local Court the 50-year-old had drunk a chlorophyll health tonic, which caused alcohol in her mouth to register an inaccurately high level.
Magistrate Margaret McGlynn accepted the explanation and dismissed the charge on August 11 last year.
Less than three weeks later, on August 29, Jansen was involved in a crash on Kameruka Road at Northbridge.
Jansen had flipped her vehicle after ploughing into two parked cars about 11.30am and she returned a positive result for alcohol at the scene.
Natasha Jansen (above) was acquitted of drink-driving after blaming an alcohol level almost five times the legal limit on a health supplement. She has now admitted flipping her Mercedes with drugs in her system
Jansen flipped her Mercedes at Northbridge on August 29 last year while driving with an illicit drug in her system. Builders from a nearby worksite helped lift her out of the wreckage
Pictures taken at the site showed Jansen’s car on its side in the middle of the street with builders from a nearby workplace helping to lift her out of the wreckage.
Jansen refused to undergo a breath test at Chatswood police station and was later charged with negligent driving and failing to submit to a breath analysis.
After police received test results, Jansen was hit with an additional charge of driving a vehicle with an illicit drug present in her blood.
That drug was delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC – the primary psychoactive compound found in cannabis.
Jansen pleaded guilty to all three offences on Thursday when she appeared in Hornsby Local Court with Mr Bowe.
As part of her bail conditions as she awaits sentencing next month, Jansen is not permitted to operate any motor vehicle or even sit in the driver’s seat of one.
In recent months Daily Mail has seen Jansen being dropped off at her Northbridge home in a chauffeur-driven Kia Carnival and delivered to court by her father in a Lexus NX300.
In bail court documents obtained by 7News, Jansen said she ‘had a history of alcoholism, is unemployed and has two children as dependents’.
In recent months Daily Mail has seen Jansen being dropped off at her Northbridge home in a chauffeur-driven Kia Carnival and delivered to court by her father in a Lexus NX300 (above)
‘The accused appears to have been intoxicated while driving a vehicle leading to a collision that by luck did not result in the injury/death to a person,’ police alleged.
‘The accused willingly failed to respond to legislated obligations placed upon her being the driver of a motor vehicle involved in a collision.’
Police previously said emergency services found Jansen’s overturned vehicle after being called to Kameruka Road following reports of an accident.
‘It was like a movie set to be honest. I heard that the car actually went airborne,’ resident Francoise told 7News.
Police said paramedics treated Jansen for minor injuries.
‘She was subjected to a roadside breath test, which allegedly returned a positive result,’ a spokesman said.
When Jansen faced court on her drink-driving charge in August, neuropharmacology expert Professor Macdonald Christie gave evidence.
Before falling asleep Jansen had consumed two 500ml bottles of Grant’s liquid chlorophyll, available at supermarkets, outside the school, the court heard.
In bail court documents obtained by 7News Jansen (above with husband Rob Jansen) said she ‘had a history of alcoholism, is unemployed and has two children as dependents’
Professor Christie testified the amount Jansen consumed should have left her with a blood alcohol reading of 0.12 or lower – below the 0.15 high-range drink-driving threshold.
The court was told Jansen suffered from a reflux condition, which, according to a police breathalyser expert, could have caused an inaccurate reading if it led her to regurgitate chlorophyll into her mouth.
The breathalyser may have reflected the alcohol content in Jansen’s mouth, rather than in her bloodstream.
On those grounds, Mr Bowe argued his client’s condition made it impossible for the court to determine her precise blood alcohol content.
The court was also shown police footage which showed Jansen was steady on her feet and not appearing to exhibit the behaviour of someone five times over the legal limit.
As to why she had nodded off outside the school, Jansen gave evidence she was tired from not sleeping well the previous night.
