Drink driver ‘stumbled’ away from road crash

CHRIS GEE

AN uninsured driver who was three times the drink drive limit smashed into two parked cars

before ‘stumbling’ away from the scene, a court heard.

When police arrived at Essex Street, Accrington at around 8.30pm on Friday, June 28 they found a silver Ford Fiesta belonging to Rebecca Hargreaves, 23, blocking the road.

One witness said he was cleaning out the interior of his Nissan Note when he heard a loud bang as the car being driven by Hargreaves struck his vehicle.

Prosecutor Tracy Yates told Blackburn Magistrates’ Court that Hargreaves’ car then struck a blue BMW car before coming to a halt.

She said: “The witness caught up to the car on foot and took the keys.

“He said the occupant, a young female who smelled of drink left the car and stumbled away in the direction of Bold Street.”

A second witness described events in a similar way and handed CCTV footage to the police of the incident.

Mother-of-two Hargreaves, of Bold Street, Accrington was later arrested by police and gave a breath reading of 105 microgrammes when the legal limit is 35.

After being taken into custody Hargreaves became uncooperative with officers and would not comply with instructions to give a blood sample.

After being asked a series of questions she replied ‘don’t speak to me’, ‘ I’m not talking to you’ and ‘I don’t want to hear your voice’.

She later swore at officers and once again said ‘don’t you speak to me’.

Hargreaves, who had no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to charges of driving without insurance, failing to provide a specimen sample and leaving the scene of an accident.

Defending, Gareth Price told the court that his client ‘ had hit rock bottom’ due to the incident and had lost both her job as a carer as a result.

A letter expressing her remorse and regret was handed to the bench.

He said she had received bad news on the day of the crimes and had ‘drank more than usual’ before making the decision to drive.

The bench banned Hargreaves from driving for 30 months and made her the subject of a 12 month community order with 15 rehabilitation days.

She was fined £30 and ordered to pay £120 in costs and victim surcharge.