Carer who was twice the drink drive limit sobs in court as she is banned from the road for 18 months

A carer ended up in court after a 10 hour drinking session to celebrate a first Holy Communion for her friend's child

Aimie Bell hit a bollard and two parked cars in the smash just after midnight and then "fled."

The 33-year-old blew 91 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath at the roadside and then 81 microgrammes later at the police station. The legal limit is 35.

Bell told police she had been drinking on and off since 2pm the day before and claimed the steering on her Toyota Yaris locked, the town's magistrates heard.

She sobbed as the case started, prompting prosecutor Mr Carl Gaffney to tell the court :" I don't think they are crocodile tears."

Mr Gaffney said the defendant confessed to police after returning to the scene. She was interviewed.

The prosecutor continued: " She admitted driving the vehicle off her cousin's drive, but couldn't remember why she did it.

"She drove it about 200 metres down the road, the steering locked and she collided with two parked cars. "

Mr Gaffney added Bell had "been out of trouble for over 10 years."

Mr Daniel Frazer, defending Bell, said: " She has been emotional throughout the entirety of these proceedings.

"She knows the ramifications of what she has done."

The solicitor said the defendant had been out of work for the last six weeks. She had just got work as a delivery driver, but that would now go by the wayside. Bell was her mother's carer and lived with her.

Mr Frazer continued: " She won't be able to fulfil her duties as carer to her mother. She is upset not necessarily for her own fate, but because she has let other people down."

The lawyer said Bell had been drinking, celebrating a friend's daughter's First Communion.

Her friend's partner had come home, she needed to move her car off the drive and she drove it simply just to get it out of the way.

He added: " She shows genuine remorse and co-operated with the police."

Bell, of Cedar Avenue, Heywood, admitted driving with excess alcohol on Morse Street, Burnley, on Monday, June 18th. She was fined £120, with £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge and was banned for 18 months.