DRINK-DRIVING CARER CAUGHT AFTER TIP-OFF FROM CLUB STAFF

She was pulled over after just 200 yards

A CARER has been banned from the roads for drink-driving.

Stephanie Nicholls had been at Gossip, in Hanley, when a staff member called the police as they suspected she was going to drive off.

Police followed her black Mercedes before stopping it in Quadrant Road at about 2am on September 21. Magistrates heard the 34-year-old gave a positive roadside breath test.

Prosecutor Emma Thompson said: “Officers attended Gossip after it was reported that two females were seen going into Gossip, a member of staff suspected the females were drunk and suspected they would return to the car and drive off.

“Police attended and witnessed a black Mercedes driving from Hope Street to Quadrant Road.

“Police followed the car, it stopped, the defendant was spoken to and provided a positive roadside breath test.”

Nicholls, of Witney Walk, Blurton, gave an alcohol reading of 56 micrograms in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

The single mum-of-five admitted driving while over the alcohol limit. The court heard she has no previous convictions.

Janice Sain-reiners, mitigating, said Nicholls had gone for a drink with her sister after receiving some ‘sad news’.

Ms Sain-reiners said: “She is a lady of good character, she stands before you with a clean driving licence until today. She is a carer in the community and has worked in that job for over eight years with no issues on her record.

“On that particular day she’d had some quite sad news and had gone for a drink with her sister and had a couple glasses of wine. She came out of the club where she’d had a drink and it was the club who contacted the police and said they think these ladies have been drinking and are going to get into a car, which they did.

“She drove 200 yards and the police pulled her over. She admitted drinking straight away. She is a single parent to five children, she looks after all of them at home herself and they are between the ages of three and 19.”

North Staffordshire magistrates fined Nicholls £266 and banned her from driving for 12 months.

She must also pay £241 in costs and charges.