‘MASSIVE BANG’ AS WOMAN, 33, HIT VAN

17-month ban for drink-drive mum

MUM Chloe Hargreaves was twice the drink-drive limit when she crashed into a parked vehicle.

The 33-year-old, pictured, had been drinking with a friend when she decided to drive home.

Magistrates at North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard a resident in Lincoln Avenue, Clayton, heard the crash outside her property.

Prosecutor Sue Hayers said: “At 8.05pm a lady at her home address was alerted by a massive bang coming from the front of the house.

“She could see a white Kia at an angle at the front of the drive. The vehicle had struck her husband’s van, which had been parked on the road.

“She approached the car. The airbags had activated. This defendant was in the driver’s seat. The defendant got out. She seemed very shocked and was apologetic. The police were called.” Hargreaves provided a positive roadside breath test and was taken to custody where she gave an alcohol reading of 70 micrograms in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

When she was interviewed, she told police she had clipped the parked van which caused her vehicle to spin into a car parked on the opposite side of the road. The court heard Hargreaves, whose address cannot be reported, had been to a friend’s house where she’d had two glasses of wine and a beer.

She pleaded guilty to drinkdriving on March 15.

Mike Kimberley, mitigating, said: “This lady has never been in trouble before. She was made redundant in October and has been home-schooling her son.

“She has been the victim of domestic violence in a past relationship and her father died when she was 18. She struggles with her mental health.

“She has engaged with multiple agencies since this incident.”

Magistrates fined Hargreaves £120 and disqualified her from driving for 17 months, which will be reduced if she completes a drink drive rehabilitation course. She must also pay £169 in court costs and charges.