A motorist who had to be cut out of her car by the fire service after fracturing her spine in a crash has been banned from the wheel for 12 months for drink-driving.

Rita Margaret Callister, aged 61, of Gardeners Lane, Ramsey, lost control of her car on the Creg ny Baa Back Road, Onchan, in icy conditions.

She was also fined £900 and must retake her test at the end of her ban after a blood test produced a reading of 106 - the legal limit is 80.

Prosecutor Michael Jelski told the court how, on December 27 at 10.24pm, police were called to an accident at the Creg ny Baa Back Road.

They found Callister trapped in her Ford Fiesta which was on its side.

She was said be smelling of alcohol as she spoke to police, who had to call the fire service to free her.

She was asked if she had been drinking and admitted having wine and gin at her daughter’s home before driving.

Callister said there had been an argument between her daughter and her daughter’s partner so she had left after originally intending to stay the night.

She failed to blow sufficiently into a breathalyser kit and a blood sample was subsequently taken at Noble’s Hospital.

Ice

Defence advocate Jane Gray said that Callister had wanted to remove herself from her daughter’s home following an incident. Ms Gray said that there was ice on the road and the Mountain Road was closed.

’She said she hit a patch of ice and that was the reason for the accident,’ said the advocate.

’She was unable to provide a breath sample as she had a fractured vertebrae and was in hospital for a week.

’She is quite mortified, she has never had a drink and got in a car before. She says she hasn’t had a drink since the incident and is totally ashamed of herself.’

Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes said while passing sentence on Thursday last week: ’You said you disagree with driving whilst over the limit yet you gave yourself permission to do so in difficult conditions.’

Callister was also ordered to pay £50 prosecution costs.