Gold Coast woman dubbed 'Queensland's drunkest driver' has been released from jail on urgent appeal

A Gold Coast hairdresser who was caught driving with a blood alcohol reading of 0.48 per cent, and was sentenced to two months behind bars this morning has been released on an urgent appeal.

Today Angela Bisson pleaded guilty to the high range drink driving offence.

The woman was seen by witnesses parking her car outside her Runaway Bay business, then passing out behind the wheel in October last year.

The 42-year-old was taken to hospital where she gave a blood sample.

At the time the results set a national record for the highest blood alcohol reading – nearly 10 times the legal limit.

In court her lawyer revealed the mother of one had skolled half a bottle of vodka mixed with lemonade after returning from the bank. She’d also been drinking earlier that morning.

Solicitor Paul Hamilton said Ms Bisson was having “a particularly bad day” suffering from alcohol abuse disorder and post natal depression.

• Woman who could be Australia's drunkest driver faces court

• Beauty Salon owner dubbed 'Queensland's drunkest driver' found ten times over legal limit

Mr Hamilton asked the magistrate for a fine, saying his client had been to rehab and was trying to turn her life around.

Magistrate Gary Finger scoffed saying it was a “minor miracle” Ms Bisson was still alive.

He said “I’ve never seen a reading this high”, labelling the offence as “abominable”, “absolutely appalling” and “absolutely outrageous”.

This morning Ms Bisson was imprisoned for two months to be released on probation for two years and also lost her license for 30 months.

But this afternoon an appeal judge ruled that was unjustly harsh and decided to release her while the district court considers the appeal grounds in two months.

Last May a 52-year-old man was also booked for high range drink driving on the same street where Bisson’s salon is located in Runaway Bay.

In January another woman claimed the highest ever blood alcohol reading in NSW with 0.486.

The 52-year-old was driving along a road near Coffs Harbour one afternoon when she crashed into a fence.

News break – April 8