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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Drink-drive mother sent to jail | Drink-drive mother sent to jail |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A drunk motorist whose five-year-old daughter was seen banging on a car window shouting "stop mummy driving" has been jailed for 80 days. | A drunk motorist whose five-year-old daughter was seen banging on a car window shouting "stop mummy driving" has been jailed for 80 days. |
| The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was caught driving while four-and-a-half times the legal limit after her child raised the alarm. | The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was caught driving while four-and-a-half times the legal limit after her child raised the alarm. |
| She was given the sentence after appearing at Falkirk Sheriff Court. | She was given the sentence after appearing at Falkirk Sheriff Court. |
| The case was brought after a passer-by alerted police in Falkirk in July after hearing the child's pleas for help. | The case was brought after a passer-by alerted police in Falkirk in July after hearing the child's pleas for help. |
| The 35-year-old woman was convicted of two breaches under the Road Safety Act and also breaching the Children and Young Persons Act. | The 35-year-old woman was convicted of two breaches under the Road Safety Act and also breaching the Children and Young Persons Act. |
| Tests showed she had a breath alcohol level of 158 micrograms, nearly four-and-a-half times the legal limit of 35. You endangered yourself and members of the public, and you had your five-year-old child in the car, exposing her to danger Sheriff William Gilchrist | |
| Prosecutor Neil Kinnear described how a shocked member of the public saw the child banging on the car window shouting "stop mummy driving, stop mummy driving". | Prosecutor Neil Kinnear described how a shocked member of the public saw the child banging on the car window shouting "stop mummy driving, stop mummy driving". |
| He said: "She ran towards the car, which had stopped, and the witness opened the rear door and took the child out of the car. | He said: "She ran towards the car, which had stopped, and the witness opened the rear door and took the child out of the car. |
| "She shouted for the accused to stop but she continued to drive in an erratic manner. | "She shouted for the accused to stop but she continued to drive in an erratic manner. |
| "She careered over the carriageway, mounted the pavement and hit a fence." | "She careered over the carriageway, mounted the pavement and hit a fence." |
| Local police were called as a passer-by removed the car keys from the ignition. | Local police were called as a passer-by removed the car keys from the ignition. |
| 'Detox programmes' | 'Detox programmes' |
| Defence solicitor Kevin Douglas said that since the incident, the woman's daughter had been placed into the care of her grandparents. | |
| He described the accused as an alcoholic whose addiction had caused cirrhosis of the liver. | |
| Mr Douglas said: "She has very little recollection of that day. | Mr Douglas said: "She has very little recollection of that day. |
| "She is ashamed and upset and is quite often in tears during our conversations. | "She is ashamed and upset and is quite often in tears during our conversations. |
| "There has been social work intervention and the child has now been placed with her [the woman's] parents. | |
| "She can only have supervised contact with her daughter now." | "She can only have supervised contact with her daughter now." |
| Banning the woman from driving for three years in addition to the 80 day jail sentence, Sheriff William Gilchrist said: "You endangered yourself and members of the public, and you had your five-year-old child in the car, exposing her to danger. | Banning the woman from driving for three years in addition to the 80 day jail sentence, Sheriff William Gilchrist said: "You endangered yourself and members of the public, and you had your five-year-old child in the car, exposing her to danger. |
| "You clearly have an underlying alcohol problem, and have undergone several detox programmes and several admissions to hospital. | "You clearly have an underlying alcohol problem, and have undergone several detox programmes and several admissions to hospital. |
| "Social workers have serious reservations about your willingness to detoxify. Given the gravity of the offences, a custodial sentence is the only appropriate one." | "Social workers have serious reservations about your willingness to detoxify. Given the gravity of the offences, a custodial sentence is the only appropriate one." |