A WOMAN who drank a 'large glass of wine' before crashing her car has been sentenced for drink driving.

Jacqueline Harrison, of Town Hall Apartments, Ulverston, pleaded guilty at the first opportunity to driving her Ford Puma while over the legal alcohol limit when she appeared at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court on November 27.

Prosecutor Lee Dacre said the 52-year-old came to the attention of the police when she caused a single-vehicle crash on Old Hall Road in Ulverston at 9:20 pm on November 1 this year.

He said the defendant left the scene but later confirmed to police over the phone that she was the driver of the vehicle.

Officers attended the address where Harrison said she was and asked her to provide a specimen of breath for analysis, the court heard.

Mr Dacre said the defendant was arrested and taken into custody after providing a reading which exceeded the prescribed limit.

The court heard the lowest reading of which was 82 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

Liza Phizacklea, representing the defendant said: “She split up from her husband in June and she was effectively homeless. She had just been offered a flat and decided to have a drink with her friends to celebrate.

“She says she drank three bottles of wine 24 hours before the accident and a large glass of wine not too long beforehand.”

Chair of the bench, Charles Crewdson fined Harrison £120 for the offence and disqualified her from driving for 20 months.

Before passing the sentence, Mr Crewdson told the defendant: “We hope you are aware that what you have done is not good and it should not be repeated.”

Harrison was offered the opportunity to partake on a drink driving rehabilitation course, which if completed successfully, would reduce the ban by 20 weeks.

She was also ordered to pay £85 in court costs and a £48 surcharge.