A MOTHER was caught behind the wheel of her car at more than three times the drink drive limit after celebrating the sale of her house, with her 12-year-old child as passenger, a court heard.
Weymouth Magistrates Court heard that police were called to reports of a car which had collided with a kerb on October 31.
The car, being driven by 50-year-old Jennifer Irene Williams, was later pulled over by police in Link Park Road, in Chickerell, at around 3.30pm.
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Prosecuting Richard Oakley said officers, who found Williams had her 12-year-old son in the front passenger seat, suspected her of drink driving and subsequently arrested her and took her to Weymouth Police Station. She was found to have 108mcg of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg.
Williams, of Everdene Drive, Chickerell, appeared at Weymouth Magistrates Court on Thursday December 2 and pleaded guilty to a charge of driving a motor vehicle while above the legal limit of alcohol.
Mitigating, Mr Lee Christmas, said Williams was ‘remorseful’.
He added: “Credit should be given for the co-operation with police. She is a lady of previous good character and has a clean driving licence prior.”
Mr Christmas then explained that picking up her son was not planned after he went out with his friends in town for the first time and had expected a parent of his friend to take him home, but he later 'rang his mother crying' to say that was no longer possible and so Williams drove to get him.
The court was then told by Mr Christmas that Williams ‘had not eaten’ and had consumed alcohol to ‘celebrate the sale of her house'.
Chair of the Magistrates bench, Sara Saunders, said: “Due to a very high reading and the aggravating factor of a child in the car and having listened to what Mr Christmas has said on Ms Williams’ behalf, a community order will be given.”
Williams was ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work within 12 months and disqualified from driving for 25 months.
The disqualification period could be reduced by 25 weeks upon the completion of a drink driving rehabilitation course before May 10 2022 - which Williams indicated she wanted to do.
Williams was also told to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge of £95.
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