A STOURBRIDGE woman has been banned from driving after crashing her car when almost four times over the drink drive limit the morning after a Christmas party.

Emma Jefferson, aged 45, of Portland Drive, pleaded guilty to a charge of drink driving at Worcester Magistrates Court on Thursday, January 4, after being caught on December 18, 2017, on the A38 in Droitwich.

Kerry Lovegrove, prosecuting, said the crash took place at 9.15am when Jefferson’s Mini Cooper crashed into the back of a stationary vehicle.

She said police were called to the scene and the defendant smelt of alcohol, measuring 132 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath; the legal limit is 35.

Sunil Jagatia, defending, said his client had attended her work’s Christmas party the night before and had been drinking from 7pm on December 17 until 3am the next day.

He said the party was at an “old people’s care home” and Jefferson had been provided with accommodation there where she slept until around 8am, having “no intention to drink and drive”.

Mr Jagatia said the defendant had a lot on her mind as she was due to move house that day and did not believe she was over the limit.

The court was told Jefferson had since lost her £37,000-a-year job as a customer relations manager, following the incident, as she needed to drive for the role.

“She has admitted to me that alcohol has been an issue recently,” said Mr Jagatia, going on to say Jefferson had recently got out of “an abusive relationship and used drinking as a coping mechanism”.

He said she had gone to her GP regarding the “difficulties she had with alcohol but was told there was a waiting list” for treatment.

Instead, Jefferson, who already had debts of £2,500, borrowed £9,000 from her parents and entered a private rehabilitation residency until January 27, he added.

Gareth Thomas, chair of the bench, gave the defendant a 12-month community order, which includes 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days, and 150 hours of unpaid work on top of the driving ban.

Referring to the alcohol treatment she has already been undertaking, Mr Thomas said: “I can only encourage you to keep doing the good work you are doing.”