A woman has been banned from driving after she got behind the wheel in full view of police officers – who already knew she was drunk.
Eve Graham appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court after she was caught TWICE behind the wheel while more than five times the limit.
On one bizarre and brazen occasion, the 34-year-old attempted to take her car out for a spin in full view of police officers, who she’d spoken to just an hour before and who knew she was very drunk.
Her solicitor, Lisa Reilly, told the court that Graham was “ashamed and embarrassed” by her actions.
Tesco incident
Fiscal depute Eilidh Gunn told the court that at around 2.20pm on June 22 last year, Graham walked into a Tesco Extra on Harlaw Road, Inverurie, where staff immediately noticed a strong smell of alcohol on her.
As she left the store she was followed by a member of staff who saw her get into an orange Toyota Aygo.
Another member of staff approached Graham’s vehicle before putting his hand inside the window where he turned the key to switch off the ignition.
Graham stepped from the vehicle and when police officer’s arrived they found her staggering and slurring her words.
She made voluntary, yet contradictory, remarks where she admitted she “had driven prior to drinking, but said she hadn’t consumed alcohol for over 20 minutes”.
When breathalysed Graham gave a reading of 117 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 22mcg.
Caught in the act
The fiscal also told the court of a second occasion at around 8.45pm on Spetember 9 this year where police officers were on Graham’s street in relation to another matter.
“The accused then approached the officers and during their interaction they noticed that she smelled strongly of alcohol,” Ms Gunn said.
“They then requested that she return to her home address.
“They also noted that there was an orange Toyota Aygo outside the building.
“At 9.45pm police officers then heard an engine start and observed the accused reversing out of her driveway, at which point they ran over and ordered her to stop the vehicle.”
Upon exiting the car, the constables again noticed she smelled strongly of alcohol as Graham began to shout and swear at them.
“She seemed unable to stand still and was swaying from side-to-side and was clearly intoxicated,” Ms Gunn added.
Upon providing a sample of breath, Graham gave a reading of 111 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 22mcg.
Appearing in the dock, Graham admitted two charges of being in charge of a motor vehicle with excess alcohol in her system.
She also admitted an additional charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.
‘Really fortunate’ others intervened
Defence solicitor Lisa Reilly told the court that Graham had asked her to apologise to the court for the “serious situation she has found herself in with these high readings”.
“She accepts her behaviour towards police and wants to apologise to the officers involved who were just doing their job,” Ms Reilly said.
“Ms Graham takes full responsibility for her actions and she has accepted that she does have an issue with alcohol – she’s ashamed and embarrassed.”
Sheriff Kevin Duffy told Graham that it was “really fortunate” that other people intervene to prevent her driving further than she already had on each occasion.
“Goodness knows what could have happened as clearly you were in a very intoxicated state,” he said.
Sheriff Duffy banned Graham, of Forsyth Drive, Oldmeldrum, from driving for a total of four years and one month.
He also made her subject to a community payback order with supervision and ordered her to carry out 295 hours of unpaid work.
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