A drink-driver who was more than three times the limit when she was stopped was this week handed a suspended sentence.
The 57-year-old later produced a blood test reading of 258 - the legal limit is 80.
High Bailiff Jayne Hughes banned her from driving for five years and sentenced her to 14 weeks’ custody, suspended for two years.
She was also made the subject of a two-year suspended sentence supervision order.
We previously reported that Kennish was challenged by a member of the public about the manner of her driving after she drove a Peugeot 206 into the car park in Christian Street in Ramsey on July 10 at 8pm.
The witness reported the matter to the police and when they arrived Kennish was said to be smelling of alcohol and unsteady on her feet.
She was unable to provide a sample of breath but a blood sample was taken which subsequently produced the result of 258.
When interviewed by police she said she had spent the day drinking a litre of vodka with a friend before taking the car to go to the Co-op.
Kennish said she tried to buy more vodka in the Co-op but staff refused to sell it to her.
Defence advocate Deborah Myerscough said that her client had ’underlying issues’ which were mentioned in the probation report and meant that she would be better served by a probation order.
Ms Myerscough said: ’Ms Kennish currently has some support but it isn’t on a statutory basis.
difficult
’She has had longstanding issues regarding her family and the issues are probably going to get more difficult.
’She has worked well with services since July. It is unlikely she is going to be driving again after this. She says she is intending to give the car to one of her children.’
She added: ’She said she is disgusted with herself and her family have been embarrassed by her behaviour. She has made great strides to stay away from friends who are drinkers.’
A letter from Motiv8 said that Kennish had been attending weekly appointments for six months.
High Bailiff Mrs Hughes told Kennish: ’People in the car park could have been injured as a result of your driving. You must have known you were significantly over the limit.’
The High Bailiff said she was suspending the sentence on the grounds that Kennish had entered an early guilty plea, taken steps to address her issues, her lack of previous convictions, and the fact probation had assessed her as a low risk of re-offending.
Kennish must retake her test at the end of the ban and attend a drink-driving rehabilitation course.