Drug mum crashed car as 10-year-old girl sat beside her
Cops found woman‘asleep’in vehicle near to school
A mum crashed her car before passing out next to a girl of 10 while off her head on drugs.
Lisa Marie Gilmour, 31, had taken a pal’s sister for a drive when she was found motionless with the keys still in the ignition.
A passerby raised the alarm after the youngster fled when the woman slumped over the wheel just yards from a school.
Gilmour – who has a previous conviction for drink-driving – was yesterday banned from the road for three years at Paisley Sheriff Court.
Fiscal depute Masooma Jaffri told how the accused narrowly missed a couple emptying bags from their motor during rush hour before driving away.
She said: “Around 5.30pm, Stephen and Emma Kelly were outside their motor vehicle unloading shopping from their car.
“They observed a green Ford Focus driving by and clipping their wing mirror.
“Mr Kelly walked towards the motor vehicle. The accused was the driver of the green Ford Focus.
“At this time, there was a 10-year-old child in the car with the accused.”
A pedestrian called police after the girl ran from the car, leaving Gilmour motionless in the driver’s seat.
Ms Jaffri told how the drug-driver appeared “asleep” and was still drifting in and out of consciousness when cops arrived during rush hour.
She added: “Officers opened the driver’s door and it was noted the keys were still in the ignition and the accused appeared to be drowsy and unresponsive.
“When officers spoke to the accused, she replied with slurred and broken speech. She appeared to be under the influence.”
The court heard Gilmour is a recreational drug user and needed the car to ferry her two young sons around.
She was taken to see a police doctor, who confirmed she had drugs in her system when stopped on February 3 near her home in Ness Avenue, Johnstone.
Defence lawyer Peter Galletly claimed his client would “never” have consciously “put anybody at risk”.
He added: “She has dabbled in drugs before, but she does not see herself as being dependent on them.
“She felt absolutely fine when the journey commenced.
“During the course of the journey, her disposition changed.”
Gilmour claimed she needed her car to take her boys, aged 13 and six, who both have hearing problems, to doctor’s appointments.
But Sheriff Simon Fraser confiscated her driving licence and fined her £400.
He said: “You have a previous conviction for drink-driving.
“Therefore, the penalty I have to impose, as far as disqualification, is three years. It is a privilege to be allowed a licence.”