A Moray motorist who drove barefoot into a takeaway drive-through before admitting to staff she was “drunk” has been banned from the roads.
Charlotte Hodgkinson, from Aberlour, then refused to give a breath sample to police because she “needed to go to Glasgow”.
Yesterday the 22-year-old appeared at Elgin Sheriff Court after admitting driving while unfit through drink or drugs and for assaulting two police officers.
However, defence agent Robert Cruickshank pleaded with the court not to send his client to prison because she is a single mother with a young child.
Hodgkinson parked her Vauxhall Corsa at the McDonald’s car park in Elgin shortly after 5am on December 30 last year.
Fiscal Kevin Corrins explained the motorist initially asked a member of staff to bring her out some food.
He said: “When he tells her he wouldn’t be doing that she gets out of the car and is unsteady on her feet and it is noticed she is not wearing any shoes.
“Thereafter the member of staff went back to the restaurant to call the police and it was noticed the accused got back in the car and goes to the drive-through.
“A second member of staff engages her and essentially keeps her talking until the police arrive and at that point makes reference to being drunk.”
When officers arrived at the Linkwood Place eatery they saw Hodgkinson, who was still parked in the drive-through, slurring her speech and could smell alcohol from her.
When the driver, who is originally from Arbroath, arrived at the police station she began struggling with the police – striking Constable Lawrence Ramsey on the head and kicking Constable Daniell McCandless.
Mr Cruickshank said: “Frankly, she shouldn’t have been anywhere near her car. Her conduct with the police afterwards is regrettable.”
Hodgkinson, of High Street in Aberlour, was given a 20-month driving ban, a six-month curfew and placed under supervision for 18 months after admitting driving while unfit through drink or drugs, failing to give a sample of breath without reasonable excuse and two charges of assaulting police officers.
