A ‘highly thought-of’ teacher drank a bottle of wine in the morning before she was seen driving on the wrong side of the road.
Amanda McClean, 53, was spotted weaving around on the road in her Peugeot while heading towards Marske, North Yorkshire, on May 9 last year, Teesside Magistrates’ Court heard.
The witness – a mother who was in the car with her two children and her husband, who was driving – saw McClean being beeped at by drivers while in the wrong lane, prosecutor Joanne Hesse told the court.
Ms Hesse stated that McClean was driving slower than the limit and weaving on the roads.
McClean was followed by his family, who saw it drive on the wrong side for about two minutes before stopping at a petrol station. There, a police officer arrived and took McClean’s keys.
McClean from Marske pleaded guilty in a previous hearing to driving with excessive alcohol in her blood.
District Judge Stephen Hood handed McClean a 12-month community order and banned her from driving for 40 months.
Amanda McClean (53) was observed driving in her Peugeot on the roads towards Marske (North Yorkshire) on May 9, 2013. This was according to Teesside Magistrates’ Court.
He said it was clear that she was exceptionally good at her job and put a lot into it, adding: ‘I expect the stress of that job has in some way contributed to what has now occurred in terms of alcohol.’
McClean was told by Hood, District Judge, that alcohol levels in his blood were due to Hood receiving a report stating that she had drunk wine one morning prior to the crime and got behind the wheel.
He added, “That clears me that there’s thinking skills that should be taken into consideration as to whether that’s appropriate.”
The defendant was also fined £270 and ordered to complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
She must also pay the court £85 costs and a £95 surcharge.
Mcclean, according to the prosecution, pulled into the station and parked in the car lot. There, a police officer was present.
McClean’s car was followed by the family for approximately two minutes. After that, McClean pulled into a station where there was a parking lot. A police officer arrived and took McClean’s keys.
The woman told Middlesbrough’s court that the vehicle had been parked beyond the boundaries of the bay.
McClean claimed McClean attempted to put them back in the ignition, but McClean was unable to do so. Ms Hesse stated that McClean took her keys.
According to the court, she had 261 milligrammes in 100 milliliters of her blood. 80 is the legal limit.
David Dedman, the defense, stated to the court that she would rather have driven for just two minutes, slightly exceeding the limit, than drive on the wrong side.
He explained that “She was very hard working and high-minded teacher, but she took on too many responsibilities until it became overwhelming.
“It caused stress, depression, and anxiety that is often coupled with an alcohol problem, as it often was.
According to Mr Dedman, the woman had sought help through an organization. She was undergoing three monthly blood tests. A drug that stops her from drinking has been prescribed.
He said that she had thought deeply about what she did and entered a guilty plea at her first chance.