Telford mother crashed car after getting drunk while 'engrossed' watching TV

Kate Louise Holmes claimed she had become so engrossed watching television during the evening that she had lost track of how much beer she had drunk, Telford Magistrates Court was told.

She crashed her husband's Peugeot on Whitchurch Drive close to Wrekin Retail Park in Telford on December 7, writing off the vehicle and damaging road signs in the process. But she could not explain why she decided to get into the car and drive it.

The 29-year-old was breathalysed at the roadside by police and was found to have 144 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

She was asked to provide a further breath sample at Malinslee police station but was too drunk to do so, the court heard.

Holmes, of Gloucester Avenue, in Dawley, Telford, admitted failing to provide a breath sample when she appeared at court.

Magistrates disqualified her from driving for 16 months.

Mr Adam Warner, prosecuting, said Holmes had caused a considerable amount of damage to the vehicle and road signs.

He said: "Holmes crashed the vehicle on a grass verge near to Wrekin Retail Park.

"This caused considerable damage to the car and the airbags had been deployed, as well as damaging road signs.

"The car has been written off, but no one else was involved in the collision."

Mr John McMillan, for Holmes, said his client was not a big drinker.

He said: "Mrs Holmes said she doesn't know why she drank as much as she did.

"It seems she simply became so engrossed in the TV that she kept helping herself to a beer.

"She also said she does not know why she decided to get into her husband's car and what made her drive it.

"There was obviously a collision and she was arrested, and since then she has been living in dread.

"She is sorry for what she has done and she has been left shaken by the whole ordeal and said she will never do anything like this again."

The court was also told how Holmes is a full-time carer for her disabled son and was hoping to get a job working at his school, helping other disabled children.

But due to what has happened this will not be possible now.

Mr Paul Bodley, chairman of the bench, said: "You came so close to being given a prison sentence, I hope you understand how close you came.

"This is probably the worst day of your life, but you should put it behind you and never do it again."

Holmes was also fined £300 and told to pay £315 in court costs.