Accused told to seek help or face disaster

A Fife woman seen staggering to her car with a bottle of vodka was warned by a judge she faced disaster without help for her alcohol problem.

Joanna August could be jailed after twice being caught driving while more than six times over the alcohol limit.

Sheriff Jamie Gilchrist QC gave her three months to engage with support services before he sentences her.

He said he did not want to jail the mother but told her: “It really is essential that you engage with alcohol treatment.

“If you don’t do that your life is going to fall apart disastrously.”

August, 36, of Bonnybank, admitted drink-driving in Bishops Court, Kennoway, on October 19 and in Park Place, Kirkcaldy, on January 6.

On the first occasion a roadside breath test gave a reading of 138 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The second time her reading was 133 microgrammes. The legal limit is 22.

August also pled guilty to driving without insurance but her not guilty plea to driving while disqualified was accepted by the Crown.

Her solicitor David Bell said August had made an appointment with the Drug and Alcohol Project Ltd and also intended to seek help from Fife Alcohol Support Services.

August remains disqualified from driving in the interim until she returns to court in May.