Last updated at 12:02, Wednesday, 27 June 2012

A woman who was almost three times the drink-drive limit when she was stopped by police was already banned from driving for a similar offence last year.

Melissa Barbara Smith, 22, of Carlisle, was stopped after police saw her car waiting at traffic lights in Botchergate on June 22 without lights.

Pam Ward, prosecuting, told Carlisle magistrates that as Smith drove away from the lights she appeared to be having difficulty driving and was stopped by police.

Smith, of Ennerdale Avenue, Botcherby, had 100mcg of alcohol in 100ml of blood. The legal limit is 35. The court was told that Smith was banned last September for a year for a similar offence. This ban was still in force when these latest offences were committed.

Smith admitted drink-driving, driving while banned and without insurance.

Magistrates banned her from the road for a further 44 months and imposed a community order on condition that she does 160-hours of unpaid work and attends the Cumbria Alcohol Awareness Initiative.

She was also told to pay courts costs of £85.

First published at 11:25, Wednesday, 27 June 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk