A 79-year-old woman of impeccable character has been brought to court for the first time for drink-driving.
Madeleine Harris was behind the wheel of a Volkswagen up! which was stopped at Newmarket Road, off Carlisle’s Hardwicke Circus roundabout, just before 2.45pm on February 3.
Harris identified herself to an officer who could smell intoxicants and requested a sample of breath.
“Mrs Harris provided a positive reading and was arrested,” prosecutor Andy Travis told Carlisle Magistrates’ Court today. “The vehicle was uplifted.”
At a police station Harris, of Smeaton Place, Nenthead, near Alston, provided a reading of 48 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg.
From the court dock she pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.
“Mrs Harris is a lady of good character with no convictions, reprimands or cautions recorded against her,” said Mr Travis.
Mitigating, defence solicitor Chris Toms confirmed it was the first time Harris had ever come before a court. She was, Mr Toms told magistrates, a lady of impeccable character who had been transported to the hearing by her local vicar. “This is a tragedy,” he said of her offence.
Harris had received some very bad medical news and was on her way to have a scan that day. “She has taken a drink to steady her nerves before going to hospital,” said Mr Toms, who added that there was no suggestion of any poor driving on her part.
“She is hugely sorry about this. She has shown true and genuine remorse about the situation.”
Harris was fined £261 and ordered to pay a £101 surcharge and £85 prosecution costs. She was banned from driving for 12 months but offered a rehabilitation course which, if completed, would reduce her period of disqualification by 12 weeks.
Lead magistrate Rosemary Moffat said to Harris: “You don’t need a lecture from anybody about drink-driving.”
Harris replied: “I’ve had my lecture. I’ve given it myself.”
