A CARLISLE woman was caught by behind the wheel of a car while almost four times the legal limit of alcohol.

Claire Chambers, 45, of Irthington, was stopped by police on May 7 and was found to have 133 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

Chris Toms, defending, said: "What is going on here is this poor woman has struggled for some time with depression and anxiety and essentially PTSD from a troubled relationship some years ago, which ended up with her partner in a mental hospital.

"The conditions put on her gave her enormous problems, depression has been a huge problem for her.

"Drink became a problem and depression became a problem. She has found love, went back to work, but found she couldn't cope.

"This time she went to work and couldn't deal with it, so she left work. She stopped and got some drink and instead of taking it home to drink, she drank it at the time."

Mr Toms, speaking during a hearing at North and West Cumbria Magistrates' Court in Carlisle, continued: "She is in an awful position mentally. She has no previous convictions apart from a speeding offence."

He added that his client accepts she will not be able to drive.

Pam Ward, prosecuting, explained that Chambers was stopped at the roadside by police and subsequently failed a breath test.

Presiding over proceedings, Kevin Wilderspin issued Chambers with a 12-month community penalty, which includes completing 15 rehabilitation days and 120 hours of unpaid work.

He disqualified her from driving for 32 months, told her to pay an £85 victim surcharge and ordered her to pay £85 in costs to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Chambers has the option of reducing the ban by 32 weeks, if she completes a drink driving rehabilitation course by April 24, 2021.