Drink driving mum didn't realise she'd been in smash after celebrating daughter's birthday

19.04.2022 - 10:01 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk

A mum who was nearly twice the legal drink drive limit didn't realise she'd crashed her car after driving home from celebrating her daughter's birthday.

Police were called to a smash between a Suzuki being driven by Amanda Chambers, 62, and a Citreon van. A court heard how her vehicle had carried on briefly along the road after the collision.

At Teesside Magistrates Court, Lillian Yanes Hellevik, prosecuting, told the court that Chambers was pulled over in Hartlepool and spoken to by a police officer, Teesside Live reports.

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Ms Hellevik said: "There was a roadside breath test which produced a positive result. The defendant was taken into custody."

The court in Middlesbrough heard how Chambers, who has no previous convictions, gave a reading of 66 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

The prosecutor said Chambers admitted during interview that she had been drinking just before she had driven but said she she hadn't realised she would be over the limit. Chambers, of Watton Close, Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to driving a motor vehicle when her alcohol level was above the limit.

John Wesencraft, defending, told the court how Chambers had been celebrating a birthday with her daughter, in Durham, and she drove back to Hartlepool prior to the incident on March 11.

He said: "She has driven for 35 years without incident, this is clearly a one off. She hadn't realised she would be over the drink drive limit.

Chair of the Bench George Harpham told Chambers that drink driving is a very serious thing. He said: "You know you're endangering yourself but also members of the public. In this case you had a collision and you weren't aware