A woman stopped by police officers after being spotted swerving “all over the road” has avoided a statutory minimum three-year ban by just two days, since her arrest came ten years and two days on from her first drink-driving conviction in 2008.
Lisa Hughes, 34, was pulled over by police officers in the early hours of the morning on February 10 where the immediately smelled alcohol on her breath and found her to be slurring her speech.
She said “I’m sorry” after testing positive on a roadside breathalyser and being taken to the police station, where further testing showed her to be more than three times the legal drink-drive limit of 35mcg alcohol per 100ml breath with a reading of 110mcg.
John Dove, prosecuting, told North Staffordshire Justice Centre that one of the officers on duty in Hanley saw a white Ford Focus on the road at 3.50am on the day in question.
“It was swerving all over the road. It crossed the centre white line and nearly mounted the pavement on two occasions,” he said.
“He was forced to pull the vehicle over just over the brow of the hill because he feared it was about to cause an accident.
“The defendant was in the driver’s seat and she opened the window. The officer could instantly smell alcohol. Her eyes were glazed and her speech was slurred.
“She gave a positive roadside breath test and was arrested. She replied, ‘I am sorry’. She was taken to the police station where she gave a reading of 110 micrograms.”
Hayley Keegan, mitigating for Hughes during her guilty plea, explained that her client had been out in the town with friends after the breakdown of her long-term relationship when she bumped into her ex-partner, which panicked her.
Said Keegan: “She consumed alcohol, she did not intend to drive. She got in her car and drove,”
“She wants the opportunity to work with probation. It is a long time since she has had any intervention from the probation service.”
Magistrates banned Hughes from driving for 28 months as well as issuing a 12-month community order with requirements to complete a thinking skills programme along with an eight-day rehabilitation requirement. She was also fined £120 and ordered to pay £135 costs and a £85 victim surcharge.
Hughes’ driving ban may be reduced by a quarter if she completes the drink-driving rehabilitation course.
About Carl Millar
Carl Millar is a highly respected and experienced drink driving solicitor who is the principal of Millars Solicitors.
Carl has been a specialist in road traffic law for many years and represents clients from all walks of life and all over the Country. He is well known for the dogged defending of his clients and robust cross examination of police officers and exert witnesses.
With a wealth of expertise in motoring law Carl is well placed to provide advice over the phone and deal with all road traffic matters in a calm and professional way.
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