Drunk woman who was four times drink-drive limit on school run swerves jail after telling court she’s ‘very, very upset’
A DRUNK driver who nearly smashed into a kerb as kids were being picked up from school has swerved jail after telling a judge she was “very, very upset”.
Rhian Oakes was four times the drink-drive limit when she got behind the wheel of her Citroen C1.
The 58-year-old was seen swerving across the road and almost crashed into a kerb near a primary school in Winsford, Cheshire.
Police pulled her over at around 3.40pm as children were being picked up and noticed she was “confused, smelt of alcohol and was slurring her speech”.
She was breathalysed and gave a reading of 139 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.
Oakes avoided jail after admitting drink-driving and was instead handed a 12-month community order and 36-month driving ban.
She will have to undergo a six-month alcohol treatment programme, 20 rehabilitation activity days and complete 150 hours unpaid work.
Her lawyer Wendy Shurrock had pleaded: “She is very, very upset with herself.
“I am asking you and your colleagues to follow the recommendations in the pre-sentence report.”
Chester Magistrates’ Court heard Oakes clambered drunk into her car on January 17 as children were leaving a nearby primary school.
As well as the community order, she must pay pay prosecution costs and a victim surcharge, totalling £238.
Sentencing, JP Harold Tonge said: “Obviously, this is going to have an impact, particularly the length of the ban.”