An Isle of Wight woman was caught behind the wheel four-and-a-half times the drink drive limit.
Beata Mazurek, 41, of Rooke Street, Newport, admitted driving with excess alcohol when she appeared at Newport (Isle of Wight) Magistrates' Court on Friday, 5th January 2024.
This is an offence contrary to section 5(1) of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and has a maximum penalty of 26 weeks' custody and/or a fine at level 5 (unlimited) on summary conviction.
Magistrates heard that Mazurek was driving her Nissan Qashqai through the town of Ryde on the late evening of Saturday, 16th December 2023.
The vehicle came to the attention of police when they observed it swerving across the road.
Officers caused the Qashqai to stop. On speaking to the driver they noticed that she smelt of alcohol and had bottles of wine in the footwell.
Mazurek failed a roadside breath test and was arrested on suspicion of exceeding the prescribed limit. She later provided an evidential specimen of breath containing 154 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the prescribed limit being 35 microgrammes.
Such a reading - almost four-and-a-half-times the prescribed limit - is exceptionally high. The relevant sentencing guideline indicates a starting point sentence of 12 weeks' custody, with a range between a high level community order and 26 weeks' custody.
Mazurek, who appeared unrepresented, told the court she had had "a very difficult month".
She added: "I can't explain why I did it. It is something I have never done before."
Magistrates were of the view that a pre-sentence report was required prior to sentencing.
Keith Jones JP, Presiding Justice, told the defendant: "In all my years as a Magistrate, this was one of the highest readings I've ever known."
Mazurek was granted unconditional bail until she is sentenced at the same court on Friday, 16th February 2024.
Given the offence attracts a mandatory period of disqualification, she was also made subject to an interim disqualification.
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