'Lonely' Shrewsbury drink-driver is fined and banned
A Shrewsbury woman who drinks because she "gets lonely" drove while under the influence and collided with another car before driving off, a court heard.
Magistrates in Shrewsbury heard how 62-year-old Janet Flamman was followed and stopped by a witness who took her keys off her after it was clear she had been drinking.
Flamman, of Lingen Close, pleaded guilty to drink-driving at Shrewsbury Magistrates Court.
The offence happened in Shrewsbury.
When Flamman, who worked for the prison service for a number of years before taking redundancy, was tested by police, she gave a reading of 231 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80mg.
Mr Mike Phillips, prosecuting, said at about 2.20pm on August 8 Flamman, of previous good character, was driving her Peugeot 107 towards Harlescott when she collided with a fellow motorist's car.
A witness followed Flamman and managed to catch up with her.
When he spoke to her it was clear she had been drinking, so he took her keys off her.
Magistrates fined Flamman £540 as well as banning her from driving for two years.
She was also ordered to pay a court charge of £150, £85 costs and a £54 victim surcharge.
Flamman was also offered the drink drivers' rehabilitation course.
Ms Louise Taylor, defending, said on the morning of the incident Flamman had had a large brandy as she sometimes does on a weekend morning.
She had been painting her garden fence when she needed to buy some more brushes and hadn't eaten but decided to drive to a hardware shop anyway.
Ms Taylor said Flamman drove off after colliding with the car because she "panicked".
The defence solicitor said her client drinks because she "gets lonely" as she got divorced a number of years ago and her children live away from the area.
Ms Taylor said: "She describes drink as being a problem for her as she gets lonely especially at weekends."
The court heard how Flamman had visited her GP to take steps to address her issues.
