Woman three times the drink drive limit reversed into taxi in Morrisons car park in Leeds

Diane Flaherty reversed her car into a taxi in the car park of the Rothwell car park and narrowly missed hitting a pedestrian who was crossing the road before abandoning her car in a disabled parking space, Leeds Magistrates' Court heard on Friday.

A PCSO who had been alerted to the incidents went to speak to Mrs Flaherty as she was stumbling around the car park described her as being intoxicated and having slurred speech. Five containers of alcohol were found in the foot-well of her Ford Fiesta.

She was taken to the police station and after a breathalyser test was found to have 106 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - the legal limit being 35.

Anjum Nazir, mitigating for 60-year-old Flaherty of North Lane, Oulton said it was an isolated incident and she didn't know she was over the limit.

He told the court: "She had driven her vehicle into Morrisons and it was her intention to do some banking and visit the recycling banks. She had not consumed alcohol while in her vehicle but had been drinking earlier in the day while she had been at home.

"She spent eight hours in police custody and gave a full account and fully admitted the offence in interview. She said she had been feeling very low and emotional, decided to consume alcohol and rather foolishly drive. She felt okay at the time and did not realise she was over the limit."

The court also heard there had been no damage to the taxi and the driver wasn't interested in pursuing the matter and drive away and that a year ago Flaherty suffered a serious leg injury after a fall which has since required five operations to treat.

The trainee chair magistrate, Janet Hibbett said she needed further information from the Probation Service before passing sentence and adjourned the case until Friday August 2.

In the meantime, Flaherty was released on unconditional bail and given an interim driving ban.