Drink-drive let off for nurse who ‘smashed it’ on wine
‘Built up a tolerance’
A NURSE who enjoyed ‘smashing it’ on white wine after work has avoided jail despite being caught more than four times over the drink- drive limit in the middle of the day.
Ashley Drabble, 31, had enjoyed a night out drinking with her new boyfriend when the couple decided to have a pub lunch the next day.
But after an argument, Miss Drabble drove off and the unnamed partner called police. Officers stopped her vehicle in Macclesfield, Cheshire, and – after smelling alcohol on her breath – asked her to provide a breath test. It revealed 145mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath – the legal driving limit is 35mg.
Magistrates in Stockport heard that Drabble, who works on a dementia ward at Macclesfield General Hospital, had begun drinking heavily following the breakdown of a longterm relationship last year.
They agreed not to send her to jail after hearing she was attending Alcholics Anonymous, but banned her from driving for three years.
Danielle Allinson, prosecuting, told the court that Drabble was off work on March 24 when she agreed to meet her boyfriend for lunch.
The couple had been out drinking the night before and she had two more glasses of wine over their meal.
A probation report read to the court revealed: ‘When they got back to his address she had an argument with him. She wanted them to leave the address. ‘She took her dog and got into the car with the intention to drive to her parents’ address. She said she didn’t feel like she was drunk.
‘The man who she was in a short-term relationship with called the police and informed them she had been drinking.
‘She had been in a previous long-term relationship which ended last year. She has noticed she has been drinking more and more. She is not dependant on it and can go for many days without drinking.
‘She works unusual hours with her job as a nurse, and on her days off she’ll think to herself, “Oh, I can have a drink”. She has been going to AA meetings voluntarily.
‘She has been diagnosed with depression and anxiety and accepts she has been going to work with low moods.’
Robert Stewart, defending, said the nurse admitted ‘smashing’ alcohol on her days off and was remorseful and ashamed about what happened.
But he added: ‘This is one of the highest readings I have ever seen, it is almost off the scale. However, she was not driving erratically, she was not slumped in her seat or slurring her words. In fact, officers only noted she was under the influence when they smelt intoxicants on her breath. ‘The consequences of the breakup of her relationship were not pleasurable. She accepts she did start drinking more and perhaps built up a tolerance to it.
‘A lot of her down time while she was on her days out, she would start drinking to excess and she admits that. She would “smash it”, using her words.
‘She has made steps to visit her GP, the AA meetings and she has had the full support of her family. She has a bright future, she is only 31, and she wants to improve things for herself.’
Drabble, of Tytherington, near Macclesfield, was sentenced to eight weeks in jail suspended for a year and ordered to attend a driving programme.
She was also told to do 50 hours of unpaid work and pay £200 court costs.