Drink-drive shame of lotto winner who was three times limit
BRITAIN’S youngest Euromillions Lottery winner has been banned from driving after she admitted being behind the wheel while three times over the limit.
Jane Park had been on a night out with friends when she decided to jump into her white BMW and drive to a McDonald’s drive-through on the outskirts of Edinburgh.
But when the wealthy 21-year-old, who was just 17 when she scooped the £1million Euromillions Lottery prize in 2013, stopped to buy her meal, takeaway staff noticed she was ‘slurring her speech’ and was ‘smelling of alcohol’.
Police were called and caught up with Park, who was still on the premises chatting to staff when officers arrived.
The lotto winner was subsequently found to be three times the drink drive limit.
Park, from Prestonfield, Edinburgh, pleaded guilty to driving with 66mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath at Straiton Road, Edinburgh, on October 8 last year
‘Very poor decision making process’
during yesterday’s appearance at the capital’s sheriff court.
Fiscal depute Nathan Gale told the court McDonald’s staff noticed Park had been drinking as she attempted to buy a meal at the drive-through at around 5.45am. Mr Gale said: ‘Two civilian witnesses at the drive-through saw she was slurring her speech and suspected she was under the influence of alcohol.
‘Police were called and arrived around 6.05am and the accused was still at the drive-through speaking to staff.
‘Due to the strong smell of alcohol coming from the accused police undertook the usual procedures.’
Park undertook a roadside breath test where she blew over the limit before being taken to Dalkeith police station.
Solicitor Stephen Mannifield said his client, who appeared in court under her mother’s surname Restorick, lived at home with her mother and was currently unemployed.
Mr Mannifield said: ‘This is a very straightforward offence and she accepts her responsibility.
‘It was a mistake by a very young person. She took the decision to transport herself and her friends to a McDonald’s after a night out. It was a very poor decision-making process.;
Sheriff Gordon Liddle told Park she ‘could have killed someone’ by driving drunk and that she ‘could have wrecked your family or other families’ lives’.
The sheriff banned Park from driving for 18 months and fined her a total of £900.
The sheriff told Park she must hand in her licence into the court within 24 hours. She said she would also pay the fine within 24 hours.
He also allowed Park to undertake a £150 drink drive rehabilitation course which, if she completes successfully, will see the driving ban reduced to 14 months.
The sheriff added: ‘It is correct to say you made a bad decision. Someone with that amount of alcohol in their system is a particular danger to the public and you could have killed someone.’
After Park won the money, she immediately went on a spending spree and splashed out on a breast operation, luxury holidays, a new car and a season ticket for her favourite football team Hibernian.
Park, who was wearing a red Canada Goose Hybridge Lite jacket worth £525 and Balenciaga trainers worth £425, refused to comment as she left court.