Drink-driving carer tells police 'I'm as drunk as a monkey' after vodka binge
Care worker Lorna Moore crashed her car when more than four times the drink-drive limit. The 56-year-old lost control of her Toyota Aygo, on Froghall Road, in Ipstones, at 3.30pm on June 13.
Prosecutor Jo Fox told North Staffordshire Justice Centre the vehicle was seen to drive 'all over the road'.
Miss Fox said: "An officer saw a lone woman in the car and the driver drove off towards Cheadle. Five minutes later there was a call from a member of the public stating that a vehicle had crashed on Froghall Road and was trying to drive away. The member of the public took the keys from the driver as she appeared intoxicated. The car that had followed had taken some mobile footage. It indicated the manner of her driving and captured the crash."
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Police arrived and Moore appeared intoxicated.
Miss Fox added: "She told officers 'I am f****** drunk as a monkey'. She said she had consumed two bottles of vodka. She was breathalysed and gave a reading of 145 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, against the legal limit of 35, four times the drink-drive limit.
"The footage shows she was travelling on the wrong side of the road at times and lost control. It was luck, more than judgement, that she did not collide with another vehicle or cause serious injury to someone else. It is aggravated by the fact there was a collision."
Moore, also known as Lorna Heaps-Warby, of Greenfield Close, Cheadle, pleaded guilty to drink-driving.
Simon Collingham, mitigating, said Moore has expressed deep remorse and regret. She is a mother to three adult children and works full-time looking after people with complex care needs in the community.
Mr Collingham added: "She has needed help for 20 years. There has been a denial. The trigger was an argument with her husband. She has not had alcohol since the commission of this offence. She has misused alcohol for 20 years. She has self-referred to Staffordshire treatment and recovery service. She wants to move on from the affliction of alcohol use to make sure she does not re-offend."
The solicitor said Moore will keep her job.
He added: "There is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation."
Magistrates sentenced Moore to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for two years, with a 90-day alcohol monitoring treatment requirement and a 25-day rehabilitation activity requirement. She was banned from driving for 34 months which will be reduced by 34 weeks if she completes a drink-drivers' rehabilitation course. She must pay £85 costs and a £154 surcharge.