Boozy driver was swerving

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Monday how Susan Spencer, 52, of Greenway Croft, Wirksworth, Matlock, had been for a drink with her elderly mother and her mother had wanted Spencer to take her home.

Prosecuting solicitor Becky Allsop said: “Police saw Spencer’s Land Rover Discovery on North Parade being driven erratically and as the officer drove around the Midland Hotel he saw the vehicle cross the centre of the road.

“The officer turned round to check on the Land Rover Discovery and as they drove past Fishpond Road and The Gulliver’s Kingdom junction the Land Rover crossed on to the right-hand side of the road and an on-coming vehicle had to slow down to avoid a collision.”

Police stopped Spencer’s vehicle on Derby Road, at Matlock Bath, where she admitted having had a glass of wine and blew a breath test of 64 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

Spencer pleaded guilty to exceeding the drink-driving limit after the incident in November.

Defence solicitor Jon Wilford said Spencer, whose father had died 18 months ago, had been with her poorly mother and they had had a drink before Spencer’s mother wanted to be taken home.

Mr Wilford said: “She isn’t a deliberate drink-driver but was probably more bothered about her mother’s need to get home. She is worried sentencing will affect her ability to look after her mother.”

Magistrates fined Spencer £275 and ordered her to pay a £27 victim surcharge and £85 costs. She was banned from driving for 17 months.