Accountant at five times drink-drive limit avoids prison
fees, the court heard. Gancarz claimed her Polish mother, who was visiting the UK, had “put pressure” on her daughter as she disapproved of the split.
The divorce cost Gancarz her business and meant she had to work as an account’s assistant on a “much lower” salary.
Gancarz said she decided to get away by sleeping overnight in her car with a bottle of wine and driving home the next day.
She said she was unaware it was an offence to be drunk at the wheel of a parked car.
The court heard the offences occurred between April 14 and April 30, two years after Gancarz broke up with her husband.
Tina Cunnane, prosecuting, said police found her in the driver’s seat of her vehicle and asked for a roadside breath test, which she complied with.
The prosecutor said: “They asked her to come to the station to provide another specimen, but she refused.”
She said the next offence occurred shortly after crashing her car. She added: “On that occasion she blew a reading of 109mg in 100ml of breath.” Gancarz’ s lawyer Karen Rolls said: “She has been going through a difficult time and is finding it hard to cope.
“Over her divorce, her and her ex-husband lost their business and a lot of money.”
Gancarz was banned from driving for three years and ordered to complete a 12-month community order.
Magistrates also ordered her to complete 60 hours unpaid work, complete a drink driver awareness course and pay £170 court costs.