Rachael Tansey, ex Hooters boss, claimed lip filler hindered breath test, after being stopped for erratic driving.
Police stopped Tansey on April 20, 2023. They suspected she drove under the influence because someone saw her Range Rover weaving at 20 mph in a 60 mph zone.
Police asked Tansey for a breath test, but she did not seal her lips on the tube. She cited cosmetic work from the day before. Officers then wanted a blood sample, but Tansey refused, and stated “Let’s roll the dice.”
Tansey faced charges for refusing samples and denied any wrongdoing in court. She said she did not drink alcohol and claimed the chicken wrap made her drive slow. She also mentioned she used mouthwash while driving.
Tansey claimed a needle phobia stopped the blood test. She said the lip surgery was “non-invasive.” The judge convicted her on all charges and said she tried to manipulate the situation.
The judge felt she delayed the officers and stated that Tansey had clearly been drinking. He said she did not properly attempt the breath test and didn’t believe her story about food and mouthwash. He found her not credible at all.
The judge released Tansey on bail, and sentencing will happen later. A community order is possible, but custody is an option too, the judge said.
The court learned that Tansey was divorcing at the time and had paused her law career. She was running restaurants and bars, having previously managed Liverpool’s Hooters. Her company went into liquidation recently.
The prosecutor explained that an off-duty officer saw Tansey driving poorly, which led to the police stop. Tansey failed the roadside breath test. She blamed her lip procedure on the failure and refused both breath and blood tests.
A police officer described Tansey after the stop and stated he smelled alcohol in the car. He said she acted erratically and mentioned mouthwash and chewing gum first. She also claimed lip surgery prevented the breath test.
The officer said she tried multiple times to give a breath sample and briefly formed a seal. Then, she put the whole mouthpiece in her mouth and flatly refused the blood test. The officer felt she was arrogant.
Tansey explained why she drove slowly, saying, “I was eating, I am sorry.” She stated she grabbed the wrap after an 18-hour shift and described being scared by the police.
Tansey said eight officers surrounded her car, and she felt shocked and anxious that night. Her marriage ended, so she used sertraline. She also said IPL treatments caused lip swelling and that she has a needle phobia.
Tansey said she could not give blood because of her fear of needles, which her friends saw as an involuntary reaction. She offered a urine sample instead, but officers demanded blood only. Feeling angry and anxious, she defended herself.
She agreed that she wasn’t a very nice person and had worked an 18-hour shift that day. Her sentencing is set for Liverpool Magistrates’ Court.