A woman who overturned her car while more than five times the drink-drive limit has been banned from the roads for more than two years.
Rosemary Bennett was behind the wheel on Aberdeen’s Argyle Place in the early hours of the morning when she collided with a parked car and flipped hers onto its roof.
Aberdeen Sherriff Court heard how the 29-year old was found by a delivery driver who spotted the wreckage and called the police and an ambulance.
Bennett was then escorted to Kittybrewster custody suite, where she provided a reading of 117 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The limit is just 22 microgrammes.
‘Could not explain why she chose to drive’
Fiscal depute Carol Gammie said: “This offence took place on a two-way carriageway, which is governed by a 30mph speed limit.
“It was 3.30am and the accused was driving towards Rosemount Place when she collided with a parked vehicle.
“The accused’s vehicle flipped on its roof and there was significant damage to the car’s front bumper and rear side windscreen.
“The parked car received damage to the front bumper and the nearside wheel.
“Fortunately the accused was not seriously injured but had a slight abrasion on her forehead and collarbone.”
Defence solicitor David Sutherland said Bennett “could not explain” why she chose to drive home that night.
He added: “She has expressed extreme remorse and it is out of character for her.
“She is a first offended who tendered a plea of guilty very early in the process.”
‘Fortunate no one else was involved’
Sheriff Graham Buchanan told Bennett that he considered the incident, on March 15 2021, a “serious matter”.
He added: “You could quite easily have killed yourself in the incident and it is fortunate that no one else was involved – apart, of course, from the unfortunate owner of the vehicle which you struck.
“This is a high reading, but given you are a first offender I am required to consider whether there are alternatives to a prison sentence for such a serious offence.
“I have reached the conclusion, in light of your obvious good character up to now, I can deal with you by way of a sentence which is a direct alternative to a prison sentence.”
Sheriff Buchanan disqualified Bennett, of Bloomfield Road, Aberdeen, from driving for 32 months, confiscated her vehicle and sentenced her to 180 hours of unpaid work.
