Woman banned from road for year for drink-driving on A698 near Denholm

Mandy Hardy, 56, of Bowsden, near Berwick in Northumberland, pleaded guilty to driving with a breath-alcohol count of 49 microgrammes, the legal limit being 22, on the A698 Hawick-to-Kelso road near Denholm on August 19.

Fiona Hamilton, prosecuting, said: “It was 11.40pm and police officers were on duty on a country road in the Hawick area. They saw the vehicle was all over the road and its speed was erratic, speeding up and then slowing down.

“The driver was pulled over and found to be more than twice the limit.”

Her reply to being cautioned and charged was “guilty, hands up”.

Defence lawyer Ed Hulme said his client had been at a funeral the previous day for a friend and had been drinking over the course of the two days.

He added that she had stopped drinking and felt all right to drive, but had made a significant error of judgement.

Mr Hulme added that his client had been co-operative with the police throughout.

Sheriff Gerry MacMillan banned Hardy from driving for 12 months and fined her £333.