A Sydney private school mother who previously convinced magistrates her extreme drink-driving reading resulted from a health supplement now faces fresh allegations of driving with cannabis in her system after flipping her luxury vehicle.
The Chlorophyll Defence That Worked
In July 2024, Natasha Jansen was charged with high-range drink-driving after police found her asleep in her Mercedes outside her children's school sports grounds in Northbridge. The 49-year-old mother initially recorded a staggering roadside breath test reading of 0.243 - nearly five times the legal limit - followed by a second reading of 0.193 at Chatswood police station.
However, in a remarkable legal turnaround at Hornsby Local Court on August 11, Jansen's solicitor Michael Bowe successfully argued that her skincare regime combined with a reflux condition could have caused the inaccurate reading. The court heard Jansen had consumed two 500ml bottles of Grant's liquid chlorophyll before falling asleep outside the school.
Neuropharmacology expert Professor Macdonald Christie testified that the amount Jansen consumed should have resulted in a blood alcohol reading of 0.12 or lower. Police breathalyser experts acknowledged that Jansen's reflux condition could have caused chlorophyll to regurgitate into her mouth, potentially skewing the results.
Fresh Allegations Weeks After Acquittal
Less than three weeks after her drink-driving acquittal, on August 29, Jansen was involved in another dramatic incident. Police allege she flipped her Mercedes SUV on Kameruka Road in Northbridge after ploughing into two parked cars around 11.30am.
Builders from a nearby workplace assisted in lifting Jansen from the wreckage, with one resident describing the scene as "like a movie set" and claiming the vehicle had gone airborne. Police confirmed Jansen returned a positive result for alcohol at the scene but allegedly refused to undergo further breath testing at Chatswood police station.
Cannabis Component Revealed in Blood
The case took another serious turn on October 27 when police received test results showing delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis - was present in Jansen's system at the time of the crash.
Jansen now faces multiple charges including negligent driving, failing to submit to breath analysis, and driving with an illicit drug present in her system. As part of her bail conditions, the unemployed mother-of-two is prohibited from driving or even sitting in the driver's seat of any vehicle.
Court documents reveal Jansen acknowledged "a history of alcoholism" and stated she has two children as dependents. Police expressed concern that "by luck" the collision didn't result in injury or death, noting the accused "appears to have been intoxicated while driving."
The case has been adjourned until next month, with Jansen not required to appear at Hornsby Local Court during Thursday's brief hearing.
