Lawyer’s Outrageous DUI Defense Falls Fla

A barrister’s creative defense strategy to defend a DUI case has backfired spectacularly.

Rachel Tansey, 44, found herself on the wrong side of the bench at Sefton Magistrates’ Court, where her attempts to explain away a failed breathalyzer test offering a novel and unprecedented defense that recent cosmetic lip enhancement prevented her from properly performing a breath test.

When offered the alternative of a blood test, she cited an undiagnosed needle phobia – a defense that proved about as effective as citing Wikipedia in a Supreme Court brief.

The incident unfolded when police responded to reports of a Range Rover executing what might generously be described as creative interpretation of lane markers on a bypass at 20mph.

When approached, Tansey, who resides in a £1.4 million mansion in Formby, Merseyside, reportedly informed officers, “Do not tell me what I can and cannot do”.

Her explanation that she had been driving slowly due to a dropped chicken wrap and mouthwash usage failed to convince the District Judge who said that Tansey had “attempted to manipulate this situation” and “lacked any kind of credibility whatsoever” – words no barrister ever wants to hear from the bench.

In what might be considered an ironic twist, Tansey, who was amid an acrimonious divorce at the time, had paused her legal career to manage restaurants and bars, including Liverpool’s branch of Hooters – perhaps not the typical career pivot for members of the bar.

Sentencing is pending, with the judge indicating a community order is likely but keeping all options open – including custody..