Private School Mother Deploys GERD Defence in Latest Drink-Driving Allegations
Natasha Jansen, the private school mother previously acquitted of drink-driving after attributing a high breathalyser reading to a health supplement, has unveiled her latest legal defence strategy. The 51-year-old is now contesting serious charges stemming from a separate incident where she crashed her Mercedes-Benz on Sydney's lower north shore.
Second Incident and Extraordinary Reading
Jansen's latest legal battle originates from an August 29 incident on Kameruka Road at Northbridge, where she flipped her luxury vehicle after colliding with two parked cars around 11:30am. At the scene, police recorded a roadside breath test reading of 0.304—more than six times the legal limit of 0.05.
Despite this alarming reading, Jansen refused to undergo further breath testing at Chatswood police station, leading to charges of negligent driving and failing to submit to breath analysis. Subsequent test results revealed an additional charge: driving with delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis, present in her bloodstream.
Previous Acquittal and Chlorophyll Defence
This case follows Jansen's remarkable acquittal in August of last year, when she successfully argued that a breath test reading of 0.243—nearly five times the legal limit—resulted from her skincare regimen combined with a reflux condition. Her lawyer, Michael Bowe, convinced Hornsby Local Court that Jansen had consumed chlorophyll health tonic, which caused mouth alcohol to register inaccurately high levels.
Magistrate Margaret McGlynn accepted this explanation, dismissing the charge after hearing testimony from neuropharmacology expert Professor Macdonald Christie. The court learned Jansen had consumed two 500ml bottles of Grant's liquid chlorophyll before falling asleep outside her children's school sports ground in July 2024.
New Defence: Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease
In her current case, Jansen has pleaded guilty to all three offences but disputes key elements of the police statement of facts. During a recent Hornsby Local Court appearance where she shielded herself from cameras with an umbrella, Bowe argued that the 0.304 roadside reading should be disregarded since Jansen wasn't charged with drink-driving but rather with refusing the test.
The solicitor revealed Jansen suffers from gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which he claims causes false alcohol readings on roadside breath-testing devices. Bowe also objected to police descriptions of how many vehicles were struck and claims her car rolled "an unknown number of times."
Expert Testimony and Disputed Facts Hearing
A disputed facts hearing has been scheduled for July, where Bowe plans to call Professor Christie as an expert witness once again. In the previous case, Christie testified that the chlorophyll Jansen consumed should have resulted in a blood alcohol reading below 0.12—under the high-range threshold of 0.15.
The court previously heard that Jansen's reflux condition could cause regurgitation of chlorophyll into her mouth, potentially leading breathalysers to measure mouth alcohol rather than blood alcohol content. Police footage from the earlier incident showed Jansen steady on her feet, not displaying behaviour consistent with someone five times over the limit.
Bail Conditions and Personal Circumstances
As part of her bail conditions while awaiting sentencing, Jansen is prohibited from operating any motor vehicle or even sitting in the driver's seat. Recent observations show her being transported in chauffeur-driven vehicles, including a Kia Carnival to her Northbridge home and a Lexus NX300 to court driven by her father.
Court documents obtained by 7News reveal Jansen described herself as having "a history of alcoholism, is unemployed and has two children as dependents." Police alleged in their statements that "the accused appears to have been intoxicated while driving a vehicle leading to a collision that by luck did not result in injury or death."
Emergency services discovered Jansen's overturned vehicle after responding to accident reports on Kameruka Road. A local resident described the scene as "like a movie set," adding they heard "the car actually went airborne" during the incident.
