Crash motorist was over the drink-drive limit

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Tuesday, September 6, how Lisa Hayes, 43, of Earlham Close, Ilkeston, had been driving along the B5057, at Winster, near Matlock, when she was approached by police who had attended a collision.

Prosecuting solicitor John Cooper said: “It was about 5pm, on August 19, when police attended a road traffic collision.

“The driver of one of the vehicles was this defendant who was spoken to by the police and they determined that she smelled of alcohol and a roadside breath test procedure was carried out with a failed reading.”

The court heard how Hayes was further tested at the police station where she recorded 67microgrammes of alcohol in 100millilitres of breath when the legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

Hayes, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to exceeding the alcohol drink-drive limit.

The defendant, who represented herself, said: “I am really sorry and it was down to my stupidity and I have never done anything like this before in my life. I had been upset about my mum who has dementia and she had a heart attack and she has also been diagnosed with spondylosis.”

Deputy District Judge Derek French fined Hayes £180 and ordered her to pay a £30 victim surcharge and £85 costs. He also banned her from driving for two years.