Driving ban for carer who flipped car over

A FULL-TIME carer who flipped her car while over the drink driving limit has been banned from the roads.

Alexandra Bennett, 51, had drunk vodka on the morning of May 24 and was involved in a collision on Burnley Road East at around 12.40pm.

Prosecutor Andrew Robinson told Burnley Magistrates Court how no other vehicles were involved and her Volvo ‘somehow ended up on its roof’.

He said: “On the arrival of the police she was sat on the grass banking being spoken to by members of the public who hadn’t seen the accident but went to offer assistance having seen the result.

“She said she was tired and lost control.”

Bennett was taken by ambulance to Burnley Urgent Care Centre and was declared ‘fit and well’ by a nurse.

Mr Robinson said she was then taken to a police station and provided an alcohol breath reading of 64mg in 100ml. The legal limit is 35mg.

He said: “Some time had elapsed.

“It seems about four hours since the accident had taken place.”

Bennett, of Waterfold, Water, pleaded guilty to drink driving and was disqualified from driving for 18 months, reduced by 18 weeks if she completes a course approved by the Secretary of State.

She was also fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 costs.

Representing herself at court, Bennett told magistrates: “My mum is very, very poorly with severe dementia and I’m her main carer so obviously my car is very important to me.

“I know that I will be fined and have my licence taken off me now.

“I’m totally okay with that.

“On the morning of the offence I had drunk some vodka because a carer was coming in for the first time to look after mum.

“That was the first time we had got social services involved with her care.

“I have never done it before and I will never again get into a car with alcohol in my system.”