Drink driver kicked and spat grass at police after crashing on the Shropshire border

Laura Elizabeth Griffiths, 27, of Cae Camlad, Churchstoke, admitted drink-driving, driving without due care and attention and obstructing a police constable in the execution of their duty when she appeared at Welshpool Magistrates Court.

Helen Tench, prosecuting, said the incident had taken place at temporary traffic lights on the A490 between Forden and Chirbury, at about 4.30pm on September 3. She said James Harris had been waiting at the lights in a Nissan X-trail with his wife and their dog when a car "started to drift over the central line towards them, continuing to accelerate".

Mr Harris told police that the car, a Peugeot 307 driven by Griffiths, hit his vehicle, knocking the rear offside wheel off the axle.

Mrs Tench said Griffiths was described as "totally unstable", shouting "obscenities of the worst kind" at police officers.

Mrs Tench told the court that Griffiths had kicked and sworn at police officers and had hit herself in the head. She had also thrown herself out of an ambulance and started banging her head against the road.

Magistrates heard that while on the road Griffiths tried to eat grass from the nearby verge and then tried to spit at the police officers, which she denied.

Griffiths was also seen to bite her own arm and at one point had to be prevented from attempting to strangle herself with a seatbelt in the police car.

Mrs Tench said she was taken to hospital where she continued to be abusive to police officers and the hospital security guard.

Griffiths told police she had seen a badger which had caused her to swerve and hit the vehicle. She admitted drinking a pint of Stella, a cocktail, and a shot of Sambuca at lunch but believed the effects would have elapsed by the time she drove.

Bethan Jones, mitigating for Griffiths

said: "She accepts she drank to excess on this particular day. She wants to apologise wholeheartedly to everyone involved, particularly the female officer."

Griffiths was banned for 24 months, given a 12-month community order with an alcohol activity requirement, ordered to pay £50 compensation to PC Louise Cook, £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.