Drunk nursery nurse blamed mud after crashing into lorry on A447

Nicola Downey’s car was a write-off following incident on A447

A NURSERY nurse who crashed into a lorry after she had been drinking blamed the incident on mud on the road.

Nicola Downey was driving along the A447 Ashby Road from Hinckley towards Stapleton when the lorry in front of her braked and she rammed into the back of it.

The 37-year-old’s car airbags deployed due the force of the collision and the Toyota was a write-off.

Due to her injuries it was about four hours before she was able to be breathalysed and she gave a reading of 66 microgrammes per 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

At Leicester Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday last week she pleaded guilty to drinkdriving, on October 22.

Prosecutor Kwok Wan told the magistrates: “At about 2.30pm there was a road traffic collision between a Toyota and an 18-tonne lorry.

“The lorry driver got out and checked on the welfare of the driver of the Toyota and the police were requested to attend.

“She was arrested on suspicion of driving over the limit and four hours later a reading was taken.

“The lady co-operated with the procedure and when interviewed gave no comment.”

He said Downey, of Lancaster Avenue, Market Bosworth, had no previous convictions.

Simon Marlow-Ridley, representing Downey, said his client blamed the mud for causing the collision.

He said: “My client told me there was mud on the road.

“The lorry driver braked and stopped because there was a tractor in front clearing the mud.

“The collision wasn’t my client’s fault – the road conditions were difficult because of the mud.”

He told the magistrates that Downey, who entered the courtroom with a walking stick, had severe medical problems, which would make any driving ban more difficult for her.

He said she contracted swine flu in 2005 that had led to a cardiac arrest and ongoing health problems that required her to use a walking stick.

He said: “She is not elderly but she walks like an old person because of her conditions.”

The magistrates were asked by Mr Marlow-Ridley to keep the mandatory disqualification to the minimum term of 12 months.

He said: “She’s always travelled by car because she lives in Market Bosworth.

“It’s a long walk to the bus stop.

“Her unfortunate mistake is going to put her at a big disadvantage.”

The magistrates banned her from driving for 17 months.

She was also fined £106 and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £32 victim surcharge.