A Ballasalla woman has been fined £1,000 and banned from driving for three years after admitting drink-driving.

Ingrid Eugenie Squires, of Douglas Road, failed a breathalyser test with a reading of 81 - the legal limit is 35.

Prosecutor Barry Swain told the court how, on September 8 at 4pm, police received information from a member of the public saying that a Citroen C1 was ’all over the road’ driving past Castle Rushen High School.

Police located 52-year-old Squires in Castletown square and tried to stop her using their blue lights but she was said to have very slowly driven around them before stopping, taking up two parking spaces outside the George pub.

She was spoken to and was said to be smelling of alcohol, and failed a subsequent roadside breathalyser test. A further breathalyser test produced the reading of 81 and Squires was subsequently charged with drink-driving.

Defending her in court, advocate Ailish Hannan asked for credit to be given to her client for co-operation with the police and entering a guilty plea at the first opportunity.

Ms Hannan said: ’She is incredibly remorseful and is embarrassed and ashamed. She regrets what was a poor decision.

’Ms Squires had been at work and an incident at work led to her being very emotional over an error she had made.

’Unfortunately she arrived home and consumed alcohol then went to purchase groceries. She is very distressed at her decision making.

’She is a single parent and feels she has "let everyone down" in her own words. She has stopped drinking altogether. She will speak to her GP. It doesn’t appear alcohol is an issue, it just became an issue on that Friday.’

Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes gave Squires credit for her early guilty plea and co-operation at the scene, and with police, and said while passing sentence: ’I have noted your shame, remorse and embarrassment is genuine but that is nearly always the case with this type of offence.

’There really is no excuse for anyone to commit an offence such as this.’