A 64-year-old housewife from Widnes has been banned from driving after her own husband reported her to police for drink driving. June Austin admitted the offence at Warrington Magistrates' Court and was given a 28-month road ban.
Police were called at 10.50am on June 14 after Austin's husband saw her car collide with a plant pot on the front drive of their home. During the 999 call, the husband said he was concerned to see his wife "slumped over the steering wheel" of her Mini Paceman and "staring into space."
Over Three Times the Limit
Officers arrived to find Austin on the sofa, clearly under the influence of alcohol. She confirmed she had been drinking and provided a breath reading of 112 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath — more than three times the legal limit of 35 micrograms.
Prosecutor Sarah McInerney said: "Police received a call from Mr Austin saying that his wife had returned home in her car and it collided with a plant pot on the front drive of the house. He was concerned that she was under the influence. He had observed her to be slumped over the steering wheel staring into space."
Court Sentencing
Austin, of Upton Grange in Widnes, Cheshire, appeared unrepresented and told magistrates: "I am absolutely devastated about what happened considering the circumstances could have been awful, could have been worse, I could have injured or kill somebody. I am ashamed of that. There is nothing I can do about that, just making sure going forward that it will never happen again."
She said she was undergoing weekly counselling with a health and social care charity for undisclosed medical issues and added: "Since June 14, the only drink I had was the night before the probation meeting. I have also got in touch with my own GP who has increased my medication and referred me to a mental health practitioner."
Community Order and Fine
Austin was sentenced to a 12-month community order with a requirement to attend 15 rehabilitation activity days. She was also fined £346 and ordered to pay £199 in costs and surcharge. She was given the opportunity to take the drink drive awareness course, which if completed will reduce the road ban by a quarter.
JP Keith Gleave said: "Drink is what brought you here but things seem to be progressing on all those fronts and you have not really touched alcohol for a period of time, albeit a short period of time. This is obviously an unfortunate incident that has happened - but it was a high reading. You now cannot drive any vehicle on a public road - if you were to be found driving on a public road that can carry a sentence of imprisonment. I have got to make you aware of that."
