Woman caused crash after drink-driving home following argument with friend

A woman who drove home while drunk after an argument with a friend has been banned from the roads.Sally Burton, 39, of Park Road in Hunstanton, was caught as part of a Norfolk Police drink-driving campaign on December 22.Officers had been called to Gaywood Road in Lynn after she was involved in a two-vehicle crash, and she was still in the driver’s seat with the engine running when they arrived.

The front of Burton’s Vauxhall Insignia had been damaged, and she was unsteady on her feet when she exited the car. She subsequently failed a roadside breath test.She was arrested and taken into custody, where evidential tests revealed she had 74mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in her system. The legal limit to drive is 35mcg.Burton appeared at Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, pleading guilty to drink-driving. Crown prosecutor Colette Harper told the court that the defendant had been a woman of previous good character.Mitigating, duty solicitor Andrew Cogan said: “She had a falling out with a friend who she had been out in the evening at a public house with.“Because she had a drink, she felt she didn’t know what was going on, and she decided to drive home.“She hit a kerb and immediately came to a standstill. She had just driven too far onto the other side of the road – obviously that is an aggravating feature.“She hasn’t tried to make off from the scene at all. As far as credit is concerned, she is due the maximum amount of credit.”Mr Cogan said that Burton will not be able to drive to and from work in Wisbech due to the disqualification set to be imposed on her by magistrates.“It is going to be a struggle for her,” he added.Magistrates, chaired by Louise Barber, banned the defendant from driving for 20 months.She was offered a drink-driving rehabilitation course which, if completed by December 26 this year, will reduce that term by 20 weeks.Burton was also fined £80, and will pay £105 in court costs and a £32 victim surcharge.