A CHESTER woman who was over five times the drink-drive limit was told she was "very lucky" to be spared immediate jail time.

Whitney Clark, 32, of Hereward Road, Boughton Heath, had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity to drink-driving.

At Chester Magistrates Court on Thursday, February 21, Clark was handed a 20-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and banned from driving for four years.

Prosecuting, Rob Youds said it was at 12.50pm on Thursday, January 24 when a driving instructor witnessed a grey Fiat Punto being driven in the wrong lane and was swerving.

The car went into a side road but a tractor was blocking the lane. The witness went over to the driver of the Fiat – Clark – and asked if she was all right.

She replied there was a tractor blocking the way, and Clark, who was alone in the vehicle, appeared "under the influence".

The witness reported the incident to the police and when an officer arrived in Hereward Road at 1.45pm, Clark was seen still in her car revving the engine.

He knocked on the door but she was asleep, the court heard.

Upon opening the door, a bottle of cider was found in the vehicle.

Having failed a breath test, Clark was taken to custody where she blew a reading of 178 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath – more than five times the legal limit of 35.

Clark, who had no previous convictions and one previous caution for battery in 2016, admitted the offence in police interview.

A probation report heard Clark had had issues with alcohol over the past 11 years, following the loss of her mother in tragic circumstances in 2007 at her home address.

She had three children who were staying with her aunt.

She had consumed cider before getting behind the wheel on the day of the offence but did not know how much she had drunk, and had felt safe to drive.

The power had gone out at her home so she was driving to the shop to top-up the gas and electric.

She also had anxiety and depression, while she had gone to Aqua House to be assessed.

Defending, Steve Coupe said: "I anticipate the court won't have seen many cases with a reading as high as this, therefore the starting point is undoubtedly custodial.

"The lady has a lack of criminal convictions and has never behaved like this before. I think there are clear and identifiable problems which can be addressed with bereavement and alcohol programmes.

"There is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation with the appropriate intervention."

Mr Coupe added Clark had been off alcohol for about a year before a recent relapse, and asked magistrates to consider a suspended sentence.

As well as the suspended sentence and driving ban, Clark was sentenced to a 12-week, 7pm-7am curfew at her address and must complete an 18-month community order with 60 days of a rehabilitation activity requirement.

This would include an alcohol treatment programme, a thinking skills programme and a bereavement programme.

Finally, Clark must pay a £115 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.

As Clark left the courtroom, chairman of magistrates Dan Aher told her: "You are very lucky to be going out the way you came in."