Manjimup woman Cherie Megan Daly caught drink-driving while in possession of more than 23g of cannabis

A South West woman who “knew she shouldn’t be driving” has been hit with huge fines after being caught drink-driving while in possession of more than 23g of cannabis. Cherie Megan Daly, 36, appeared in Manjimup Magistrates Court on Thursday where she was handed $3300 in fines and a 30-month licence disqualification for drink-driving and drug possession. The court was told Daly was driving a white Subaru Impreza on Ipsen Street in Manjimup on October 5 at 11.08pm when police randomly stopped her vehicle and subjected her to a roadside breath analysis. The breath anaylsis recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.134. The court was told Daly told police when her car was pulled over that she knew she shouldn’t be driving. While conducting the breath analysis, police noticed bags containing cannabis in the backseat of her car which prompted a search of her vehicle. Police located 23.85g of cannabis in clip-seal and tobacco bags. In response to the drug possession charge, Daly’s lawyer Mr Hunter said she used the cannabis to self-medicate for post-traumatic stress disorder after being in a violent relationship. Mr Hunter said she also self-medicated for cervical cancer which she was diagnosed with on September 15 by a doctor at Pemberton Medical Centre and for the cataracts in her eye that are in need of an operation. But while Magistrate Joanne Andretich accepted the women was suffering from several physical and mental health issues, she fined Daly as a “general deterrence to others in the community” because she had been charged for drink-driving on two other occasions. Ms Andretch handed Daly a $2400 fine, $264.30 in court costs and a 30-month licence disqualification for drink-driving and a $900 fine for drug possession with a spent conviction. She also approved the destruction of drugs order requested by the prosecution.