An Isle of Wight pensioner says she is "mortified" after a drunken crash trapped her in an overturned Mercedes, a court has heard.
Lesley Ede, 71, of Webster Way in Alverstone Garden Village, attended the IW Magistrates’ Court, where she pleaded guilty to drink driving.
Prosecutor Serena Edwards said police, fire and ambulance crews were called to Lower Road, near Brading, at around 6.15pm on November 3 following reports of a single-vehicle crash.
The court heard that when emergency services arrived, firefighters from Ryde and Sandown found Ede’s Mercedes A-Class on its side in the narrow lane, blocking the route.
The car had landed on the driver’s side, trapping Ede inside, and crews were forced to remove seats from the vehicle to free her, Ms Edwards said.
Magistrates were told that police noted that Ede was unsteady on her feet and smelled strongly of alcohol once she was out, with two bottles of wine discovered inside her car.
Ms Edwards said Ede failed a roadside breath test, recording 70mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath – double the legal limit of 35.
Defending, Adrian Dodd told the court Ede had been “mortified and ashamed” since the crash.
Mr Dodd said his client had argued with her husband and driven to the supermarket to buy wine, and, after drinking some, she attempted to drive home but lost control of the vehicle.
Magistrates heard Ede had no previous convictions and was otherwise of good character.
Ede was disqualified from driving for 20 months and fined £184.
She was also ordered to pay £85 in costs and a £74 surcharge.
Handing down the sentence, the bench told her: “I’m sure you will never drive and drink again.”
Ede replied: “Never, ever, ever.”
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