Former Australian Idol contestant Paulini Curuenavuli’s colourful driving history has been revealed after the singer pleaded guilty to bribing her way to getting an unrestricted driver’s licence.
The guilty plea came as it was revealed in a western Sydney court on Monday the 34-year-old has clocked up 11 driving charges since she first got her learner’s licence in 2002.
The singer, who is playing the lead role in musical The Bodyguard, pleaded guilty on Monday at Mount Druitt Local Court to corruptly giving benefit from an agent.
Paulini Curuenavuli’s colourful driving history has been revealed in Sydney court (pictured: Curuenavuli arriving to court on Monday)
The singer pleaded guilty to bribing her way to getting an unrestricted driver’s licence
The 34-year-old has clocked up 11 driving charges since she first got her learner’s licence in 2002
The offence carries with it a seven-year jail penalty.
Court documents show that since obtaining her learner’s licence 15 years ago, Curuenavuli has been caught several times driving unaccompanied while on her learner’s licence, speeding, driving while suspended and driving without displaying her learner plates.
After her licence was suspended in March last year, the Fijian-born singer made contact via text with Fale Vaifale who was working at the Mount Druitt RMS centre at the time.
The two negotiated and agreed Curuenavuli would pay Vaifale $850 in exchange for an unrestricted drivers licence.
After the payment was made, the singer went to the Mt Druitt RMS centre where Vaifale allegedly added a fake US licence number into the system, allowing her to produce an unrestricted NSW driver’s licence for Curuenavuli, court documents say.
Curuenavuli’s matter has been adjourned for sentencing on December 15, with the singer to complete a traffic-management course and drive, under supervision, the required 120 hours to complete the requirements of her learner’s licence before her next court date.
Curuenavuli, who shot to fame in 2003 as a contestant on the first season of Idol, is accused of paying the Roads and Maritime Services worker $850 in exchange for the licence
Paulini performs the role of Rachel Marron during a production media call for The Bodyguard The Musical at Lyric Theatre
Yesterday the singer was filmed walking in a side entrance at Mount Druitt Local Court, with her lawyer at her side.
Monday’s appearance came after she failed to appear at her last mention in August citing scheduling clashes with her performance in The Bodyguard.
Curuenavuli shot to fame in 2003 as a contestant on the first season of Australian Idol. Her role in The Bodyguard is her first acting gig.