A Sydney socialite crashed her Range Rover into multiple parked cars before assaulting a police officer has been slapped with a driving ban and fine after failing to have her case treated on mental health grounds.
Troubled onlookers pulled Vanessa Jacobs Fennell, 54, from her badly-damaged black SUV following the crash in Bellevue Hill, in Sydney's east, on March 21.
The mother-of-two had refused a police breath test before she crashed her Range Rover into multiple parked cars before assaulting an officer.
Jacobs Fennell, who was previously shortlisted to appear on a series of Real Housewives of Sydney, had been at a lunch in Double Bay hours earlier.
The 54-year-old spent the night at Waverley Police Station and ultimately pleaded guilty to negligent driving, assaulting police, refusing to submit to a breath test and failing to give her particulars.
On Monday, she appeared at Waverley Local Court where she was ordered to pay $1300 in fines and was disqualified from driving for six months, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Jacobs Fennell was found guilty of assaulting the police officer but was not convicted on that charge. She was granted a conditional release order for one year.
She told the Daily Mail she was 'profoundly remorseful and regretful' but insisted she 'remained dignified,' adding 'every human being should be allowed to make a mistake'.
The side of her Range Rover was severely damaged in the crash which also left a mark on a Tesla and two other vehicles she collided with.
She was escorted from the scene by police officers and, at one point, Jacobs Fennell appeared to try to wrest her arm free of the officer's grip before slapping him.
She was due to be sentenced earlier this month but the matter was delayed when her lawyers applied to have her case dealt with under mental health provisions.
Presiding Magistrate Kirk Dailly rejected Jacobs Fennell's mental health request, known as a section 14 application, on Monday.
Her lawyer previously told the court Jacobs Fennel had experienced stresses towards the end of last year and had experienced dissociation.
Jacobs Fennell is understood to have previously lost two young children and also underwent a sudden break-up some time before the incident.
Her legal team also claimed the mother-of-two had been prescribed antidepressants only three days before the incident which contributed to 'increased intoxication' and other adverse reactions.
Jacobs Fennell was usually careful to avoid drink-driving but had become confused as a result of the medication, her legal team said.
Formerly married to a private equity worker, the glamorous eastern suburbs mum is regularly photographed at charity meets and other exclusive events across Sydney.