A woman who drove while more than three times the drink-drive limit has been sentenced to community service and banned from driving for five years.

Katherine Sarah Kelly failed a breathalyser test with a reading of 111 after police saw her move into the passenger seat of her car as they approached.

The legal limit is 35.

Magistrates ordered the 32-year-old to do 240 hours’ unpaid work and also fined her £500.

She must also retake her test at the end of the ban and complete a drink-driving rehabilitation course.

We previously reported how police saw Kelly driving on Lord Street in Douglas on September 12 at 3.55am.

They followed her as she took a sharp turn onto Ridgeway Street without indicating and then turned onto Athol Street, again without using her indicator.

Kelly, who lives at Reayrt Aalin, Peel, then parked her car and got out.

However, when she saw police approaching she got back in and climbed into the passenger seat.

She was asked why she had moved to that seat but claimed she had not.

Kelly was described by police as slurring her words and having glazed eyes.

She refused to provide a roadside sample of breath and was subsequently arrested.

At police headquarters she agreed to take the breathalyser test and produced the 111 reading.

The court heard that she has a previous conviction for being drunk in charge of a vehicle in 2008.

Defence advocate Kate Alexander asked the court to follow the recommendation of a probation report which suggested community service or a financial penalty as the most appropriate sentence.

cooperation

’Although there was a lack of co-operation at the roadside, Ms Kelly co-operated at police headquarters.’

Ms Alexander said that Kelly was a long-standing employee of a Manx business and would retain her employment provided she was not sent to jail.

Kelly was also bound over to keep the peace for 12 months in relation to a separate incident.

She had previously been charged with common assault but that was withdrawn after she agreed to accept the binding order.

That incident took place on October 23 when police were called to an address in Onchan after Kelly was involved in an argument with her partner and was said to have grabbed them by the throat, which she denied.

Ms Alexander said that her client accepted that her behaviour had fallen below the required standard in relation to that incident.

Magistrates also ordered Kelly to pay £125 prosecution costs which she will pay, along with the fine, at a rate of £100 per month.