A shop assistant got drunk and drove to a McDonald's drive thru for a midnight snack, a court heard. Staff at the restaurant in Bolton said Antoinette Farley, 26, was virtually falling asleep at the wheel, swaying in her seat and slurring her words as she waited for her Big Mac and fries.
A McDonald's manager called 999 after he saw Farley struggle to drive her Citroen C4 into a nearby car park to eat her meal. He followed on foot and took the car key from her before remaining at the scene until police arrived.
Officers said the driver was so intoxicated she gave her date of birth when asked for her address. At the roadside, Farley provide a specimen of breath which showed she had 145 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.
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She was taken to Swinton Police Station, where she provided an evidential reading of 114 mg. The legal limit is 35mg.
At Wigan magistrates court, Farley, of Perendale Rise, Bolton admitted driving whilst unfit through drink but said the offence occurred because she wanted to 'get out of her house' due to suffering a mental health crisis. She said she had been drinking heavily as she had been grieving over the death of her father ten years ago.
Miss Kauser Khan, prosecuting told the court: "On Sunday February 5 at 12am, a worker at McDonalds on Blackburn Road, Bolton, alerted the manager Conor Aldred that a vehicle had a possible drink driver. She was observed to be almost falling asleep.
"The manager went to give her food and for a second time assess her for drinking. As he spoke with her, he could tell that her speech was slurred and she was swaying back and forth.
"He continued to observe her as he called the police. She struggled to drive to a nearby car park at a chemist so the manager went over and took the keys and remained with her until the police arrived.
"Officers attended at the location and spoke with the female. She was struggling to give her details and she gave her birthday as her address.
"She was requested to provide a specimen of breath at the roadside, which was 145. She was taken to Swinton Police Station, where she provided an evidential reading of 114 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath.
"The defendant is a woman of good character. She has no previous convictions."
Farley told the court: "I would just like to apologise for my actions. It is not at all representative of my character.
"At the time I was struggling greatly with my mental health. I have over the last 10 years been struggling with my mental health.
"'On that day I did not really know what to do. I just needed to get out of the house.
"I knew I was going to do something bad. I know it was the wrong thing to do and I really regret it. If I could take it back, I would.
"I have been struggling with drinking, with alcohol dependency, for around 10 years as well, since my father passed away. I just wanted to get away from my house.
"After I got out of the police station, I called the doctors and I was put on antidepressants but I have had to come off them as they were kind of making me worse. I am still looking for the right course of them but I know that drinking is not the right way to go."
She said she works for Sports Direct on a zero hours contract but had to turn down the opportunity of a promotion due to the prospect of losing her licence. Farley was also ordered to pay £208 in costs and victim surcharge and was banned from driving for 23 months.
She was offered the drink drive awareness course which will reduce the ban by a quarter. JP Karen Martin told her: "Obviously, this is a very serious matter and the level of reading in your breath was high.
"That would have meant a community order, but having talked about the possibility of what the order would be and because you have taken actions to look at your mental health and have been seeking support, we won't impose a community order but will impose a high level fine."
