A WOMAN, who had 115 micrograms of alcohol in her breath, ‘posed a significant risk’ to other road users, Haverfordwest Magistrates heard on Tuesday. Nicola Thorpe, aged 43, of West End Cottages in Robeston Wathen, was disqualified from driving for 28 months after she pleaded guilty to drink driving which on the afternoon of November 18. Prosecuting, Ellie Morgan said: “At half six on Tuesday, November 18, Officer Cousins was on duty in an unmarked police vehicle.

“He came behind a silver BMW, which he describes as being almost stationary. The officer moved closer and at this point the driver pulled away. “The car veered across the white lines in the centre of the road and the officer was so alarmed at this he called for a marked police car to attend the area. “The car then veered out on to the wrong side of the road and narrowly missed another vehicle coming in the opposite direction. “They travelled through Robeston Wathen before the driver pulled off into the car park of the Bush Pub. “On speaking to the woman the officer could immediately smell alcohol and a road side test returned a positive result and she was then arrested. “She told the officer that she had had a couple of drinks of wine. “The officer then went back to the area where he first saw her and noticed silver paint on the wall, but there was no damage to it. “At the station, the lower reading of alcohol in her breath was 115 micrograms in 100 millilitres of breath.”

Defending, Mr Phillips said: “He has pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and I ask that you will consider her for the drink rehabilitation course, and deal with this by way of a community order. “On the day in question, she was in Narberth celebrating a birthday with friends. She had a telephone call from her daughter to say there was a fire in the village near their home, and she felt she needed to get home. Unfortunately she now finds herself in this situation.” Probation officer, Julie Norman was asked to prepare a report on Thorpe. She said: “This was a high reading. She had gone to Narberth and had a few drinks. She pre-arranged for her husband to pick her up at 6. “At around 5pm she received a call to say that there was a fire.

Her house was only a mile and a half away. “She had a high level of alcohol in her system and was a high risk to other road users. She is remorseful for her actions and denies any drinking issues as she does not normally drink and drive.” The chairman of the bench said: “We are treating this as a very serious offence, the reading was very high and you did pose a significant risk to others. “We can see you are remorseful and feel a community order would not be suitable.” Magistrates gave her a fine for the offence of £160. She was also ordered to pay £85 in court costs and a £20 victim surcharge. She was disqualified from driving for 28 months, but was offered the driver rehabilitation course, which could reduce her ban by a quarter.