Driver drank to ‘cope with going through menopause’
A DRINK-DRIVER who was caught three times over the limit said she drank to cope with the shock of discovering she was going through the menopause.
Angela Rose-gorrell, 50, had been driving along the M61 when she was stopped after police patrols on Dec 11 last year.
Rose-gorrell, who runs a recruitment firm in Preston, Lancs, was found to be almost three times the alcohol legal limit and later claimed she had been going through the menopause for 18 months and would drink alcohol to “calm down”. Manchester magistrates’ court heard Rose-gorrell, of Buckshaw village, had drunk some wine while working at home and was arrested later that day after she pulled into Rivington services.
Martin Brogan, prosecuting, said a police officer “could smell intoxicant” on Rose-gorrell’s breath after she was pulled over. Tests showed Rosegorrell, who has no previous convictions, had 99 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms
Sarah Gruffydd, defending, said: “What happened behind this, 18 months ago she began finding it difficult to manage her stress and was having panic attacks – she soon found out these were symptoms of the menopause. She did not speak to people but started drinking wine to calm down.”
She added that Rose-gorrell said “she will not drink ever again and has been to the doctor about her menopause and stress symptoms. She is now on medication and feeling much better for it,” she said. Rose-gorrell admitted driving with excess alcohol and was fined £1,153. She was also disqualified from driving for 23 months.
Jane Whittington, chairman of the bench, said: “We are going to give you a fine as we believe you have tried to help yourself. Keep payments up and do not drive.”