A woman was stopped for drink-driving as she pulled on to her own driveway.

Wendy Hardy, 52, of Broadway, Silver End, admitted a charge of driving with excess alcohol and one of no insurance at an earlier hearing in June.

Jon Trussler, prosecuting, said Hardy was seen by police driving along Broadway and on to her driveway.

Officers suspected she had been drinking, and she provided a positive breath specimen, Chelmsford Magistrates' Court heard yesterday.

Mr Trussler said: "She was taken to Braintree police station and was asked to produce two further breath specimens and then one of blood."

The sample showed she had 127mgs of alcohol in 100ml of blood. The legal limit is 80.

Stuart Cowen, mitigating, said Hardy had just been reunited with her daughter and had been drinking with her at home until 4am.

He said she was arrested at 10am the following morning after returning from taking her daughter home.

Mr Cowen also explained how, just over two weeks ago, Hardy had taken a paracetamol overdose and was rushed to Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford. He said she had been suffering from depression.

Hardy was sentenced to a two-year community rehabilitation order for driving with excess alcohol.

She was offered a place on a drink-drive rehabilitation course, which could reduce her 36-month driving ban by nine months if completed.

Published Tuesday, September 21, 2004

Brought to you by the Evening Gazette