Home / Crime and Justice / Range Rover Socialite Avoids Convictions for Cop Assault
Range Rover Socialite Avoids Convictions for Cop Assault
27 Jan
Summary
- Socialite avoided convictions for assault, negligent driving, and breath test refusal.
- Judge recorded no conviction, issuing conditional release orders for offenses.
- Offenses stemmed from a crash after a lavish lunch and drinks in Sydney.
Vanessa Jacobs Fennell, a 54-year-old socialite, has avoided criminal convictions for four offenses, including assaulting a police officer and negligent driving. The incidents occurred on March 21 last year in Sydney's east, following a lunch and drinks in Double Bay. Jacobs Fennell drove her Range Rover, crashing into multiple parked cars after allegedly 'shredding the vehicle's tyres'.
Upon police arrival, she refused a breath test and assaulted an officer. Her attempt to have the charges heard under the Mental Health Act was rejected by a lower court, which had previously convicted her of refusing a breath test, negligent driving, and failing to provide particulars, fining her substantially and disqualifying her from driving.
However, on appeal, Judge Mark Williams decided to record no convictions for the offenses. Instead, Jacobs Fennell received 12-month conditional release orders for each charge. She expressed happiness with the outcome, which includes the future option of a psychologist's treatment plan. She was seen smiling after the court's decision.
