Drink-driver crashed in city car park
A drunk woman was fourand-a-half times the legal limit when she crashed her car in the car park of a Sunderland tower block.
Martha Phiri was found covered in blood next to her car wearing only a top and coat and no shoes following the incident on November 16, Sunderland magistrates heard.
The 44-year-old has a previous drink-driving offence on her record and had no insurance or a valid driving licence when she crashed in the early hours, the court was told.
She has now been jailed for four months, suspended for a year, and banned from the roads for four years.
Prosecutor Maimuna Bappa said police were called to the car park at Phiri’s home address of Lambton Tower, in Sunderland’s East End, at 5.40am.
Officers had been alerted to a possible drink-driver.
Ms Bappa said: “Officers searched the grounds and about eight metres from the vehicle, they came across a female sitting on the ground. She had a lot of blood on her face, head and in her hair.
“She was so intoxicated she was unable to speak and an ambulance was called.”
Police found Phiri’s keys and a bank card in the vehicle, along with some clothing belonging to her, the court heard.
“Ms Phiri was extremely incoherent and was physically sick a number of times prior to the ambulance arriving,” Ms Bappa added.
The court heard Phiri had been earlier been seen on CCTV in the lift of the property and using her fob to lift a security barrier.
Phiri was arrested and a blood test showed she had 361mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood – the legal limit being 80.
Phiri pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol, driving without insurance and not in accordance with a driving licence.
She has a previous conviction for the same offence and a public order offence on her record committed after this offence.
Phillipa Wylie, defending, said Phiri suffered from a number of health problems.
Phiri was also told to pay a £115 surcharge and £85 costs.