A police officer who crashed her car while drink-driving has been sentenced to community service and banned from driving for 30 months.

Stephanie Marie Shaw, of North Shore Road, Ramsey, has since resigned from the force.

The 32-year-old failed a breathalyser test with a reading of 69. The legal limit is 35. She pleaded guilty to drink-driving and careless driving and was ordered to do 120 hours of unpaid work by magistrates.

She must also retake her test at the end of the ban.

Prosecuting advocate Roger Kane told the court that Shaw had been drinking whisky at home in Ramsey on July 28 at 8.10pm.

She was said to have messaged a friend saying she was ’getting smashed’.

Later that evening Shaw was said to have driven her car and crashed through a wall at the Waterworks on the Mountain Road.

She then messaged a friend saying: ’I’ve crashed my car. I’m going to lose my job.’

Police spoke to her and she failed a breathalyser test, with a reading of 69.

A psychiatric report said that Shaw had experienced traumatic events in her personal life during the last few years which had affected her.

A probation report said that before the incident Shaw had an ’impeccable record’ in the police.

The report said that Shaw had been using alcohol to self-medicate and cope with her feelings.

The court heard that she has no previous convictions.

Defence advocate Deborah Myerscough said that her client was not working in her role as a police officer at the time and had been signed off sick for some time before the incident.

’Ms Shaw has asked me to apologise to the court and her colleagues and says she has been grateful for the opportunities the constabulary provided to her,’ said the advocate.

’She has resigned from her role so she doesn’t know what her income will be.

’The shame she has felt having been an officer and been in these courts before many of us cannot be understated.’

Magistrates sentenced her to 60 hours community service for each offence, to run consecutively.

She must also pay £125 costs.