Court / Caithness woman banned for three years after second drink driving offence

A WOMAN from Caithness has been banned from the road for three years after crashing her car into a field near the Sella Ness accommodation camp while she had five times the legal limit of alcohol in her system.

Rachel Jones, of Mid Clyth, Lybster, pleaded guilty to a charge of drink driving when her case called at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Thursday morning.

The court heard that on the evening of 15 December last year Jones, a resident of the Sella Ness camp, failed to negotiate a junction with B9076 and crashed her car into a field.

She was picked up by a passing driver who gave her lift back to the camp and then called the police.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said the 31-year-old was traced just after 11pm when she failed the roadside test and was arrested.

Speaking in mitigation via video link from Glasgow, defence solicitor Craig Broadley accepted his client’s reading was high and said she clearly had been drinking before the accident and after.

The solicitor added that Jones was currently not working and in receipt of universal credit, was supported by friends and family, and was also expecting her second child.

He also confirmed that this was Jones’ second drink driving conviction.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank said that given a previous conviction there was an inevitability as to the length of disqualification.

He banned her for three years and granted a Crown motion for forfeiture of Jones’ damaged car, which has been in police possession since she was first arrested.

The sheriff added that the vehicle forfeiture was sufficient financial punishment without the need for an additional fine. 

Jones was not present in court on Thursday.