A drink-driver from Laxey has been hit with a £1,500 fine and a one-year ban.

Rachel Joanne Taylor previously denied the charge, but appearing before magistrates recently, changed her plea to guilty.

She was seen driving erratically on the Laxey Coast Road, which prompted another motorist to call the police.

The 50-year-old was also ordered to take an extended driving test at the end of her ban, and to pay £300 prosecution costs.

Prosecuting advocate Kate Alexander told the court that a witness saw Taylor driving a Vauxhall Corsa on January 8, at 6.52pm.

They said the Corsa pulled out in front of them, narrowly avoiding a collision and forcing them to slam on their brakes.

She hit several hedges and the witness tried to signal to her to pull over, but Taylor ignored them.

Police went to the defendant’s home, at Callows Croft, and she was asked if she’d drunk anything after driving, and initially said no.

Taylor failed a breathalyser test and then claimed she had drunk two cans after driving.

At police headquarters, a blood test produced a reading of 87, above the legal limit of 80.

The court heard that the defendant had no previous convictions.

Defence advocate Darren Taubitz handed in letters of reference for his client, and said that an expert’s report had been required, as the defendant was not that much over the limit.

The advocate said that, on the day of the offence, his client had received some deeply upsetting news regarding her health, and had been in significant pain due to a shoulder injury.

Mr Taubitz said that the vehicle heating system had also been malfunctioning, causing the windscreen to become fogged up.

Taylor agreed to pay the fine and costs at a rate of £100 per month.