Woman who denied drink-drive charge was five times over limit

A Limekilns woman has been found guilty of driving a car when she was almost five times over the limit.

Clare Leonelli, 54, denied she had been drinking before getting behind the wheel. However, the alarm was raised by staff at the Sainsbury’s store in Rosyth after she was seen driving erratically.

CCTV from the shop was shown at her trial at Dunfermline Sheriff Court and appeared to show her swaying about in the aisles.

Leonelli, of Sandilands, Limekilns, was found guilty of drink-driving on August 11 on Unwin Avenue, Rosyth and in Limekilns.

Her reading was 118 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit being 22 microgrammes.

Leonelli will be sentenced on December 7 and a temporary driving ban was imposed.

Leonelli claimed she did not drink until she went home and that she had drunk a litre of wine in 30 minutes before the police arrived at her door.

Depute fiscal Dev Kapadia asked: “How could you even drink a litre of wine in that short time?”

“I don’t know but I did,” the accused answered.

Leonelli was spotted hitting the kerb outside the Sainsbury’s store by a couple in their car and police were contacted.

When officers went to her home, she told them she had not been drinking since she had only got home from the shop shortly before.

However, her story changed in court when she claimed she had downed a full bottle of wine and another which was a thirdfull.

Sheriff Charles MacNair did not believe her evidence and found her guilty.