A young driver flipped her car on to its roof after hitting a bollard on her way to work. Paige Cannon, from Long Eaton, had drank "three-or-four gin and lemonades" in the early hours before waking up after six hours sleep and causing the accident on her way to her job.
As reported by Derbyshire Live, Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court heard how the 20-year-old woman told police she struck the road sign while looking down to change gear as she drove to work. Now she has been banned from the roads for more than a year.
Freddie Sail, prosecuting, said police were called to a road traffic accident in Derby Road, Long Eaton, at around 8am on February 19. He said when officers arrived they found the car on its roof and blocking the road, adding that Cannon had managed to get out of the Peugeot 108 and "appeared to be shaking".
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Mr Sail said: "She said she had been overtaking and had clipped a kerb. A sample of breath was taken at the roadside and she blew 53 (micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35).
"She was taken to hospital where they dealt with the injuries she sustained and there gave a sample of blood which read 102 (milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80)."
The prosecutor said the defendant was then taken to a police station and interviewed. She said the previous evening she had been at a friend's house and had then gone into Nottingham at around 11pm and went to a nightclub.
"She said she did not drink while there but then drove home to her friends where she drank 'three-or-four gin and lemonades'. She said she'd had around six hours sleep, woke up and left for work at around 7.40am.
"She said while driving to work she looked down to change gear hit a bollard and flipped the vehicle. She said she climbed out of the vehicle and said she felt fine to drive."
Cannon, of Dunn Drive, Long Eaton, pleaded guilty to drink-driving and has no previous conviction of any kind. Representing herself, she wrote a letter of apology to Judge Meachin which he did not read out in open court.
He said: "If I offered you the drink-driving (awareness) course would you take it?"
She replied: "Yes, definitely."
Judge Meachin said: "I am sorry but I have no choice but you give you a (driving) disqualification. How is that going to affect your career at Audi?"
Cannon replied: "I do have to drive the cars."
The judge said: "Have you told Audi (about the drink-drive charge)?"
She replied: "Yes, they have not said much."
Judge Meachin fined the defendant £350 and ordered her to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £35 victim surcharge which she agreed to pay within 28 days. He also handed her a 14-month driving ban which will reduce by a quarter on the successful completion of the awareness course.
