A mother-of-two who crashed into another car while more than double the drink-driving limit and with a pair of young children in her vehicle has been given a court-imposed alcohol ban.
Ramune Gaigalaite, 37, swerved all over the road and into the path of oncoming traffic before the collision, a court heard.
‘Police officers noted she smelled of alcohol, her speech was slurred, her eyes were glazed and she was unsteady on her feet,’ prosecutor Pamela Ciesla told Croydon Magistrates’ Court.
Gaigalaite, of Rokewood Apartments, High Street, Beckenham pleaded guilty to driving a Vauxhall Mokka in nearby Westgate Road on June 13 with excess alcohol in her breath.
Her reading was 85 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – well above the legal limit of 35mcg.
She also pleaded guilty to being drunk while in charge of two children, boys aged five and seven, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.
Gaigalaite was sentenced to a community order which includes a sixty-day Alcohol Abstinence Requirement monitored by the Probation Service.
She must remain dry until October 21 or could be prosecuted for breaching the order and re-sentenced – possibly to time behind bars.
Gaigalaite was also disqualified from driving for eighteen months.
Ms Ciesla said: ‘She was witnessed by officers driving erratically. She was all over the road and crossed the centre line into oncoming traffic and collided with a black VW Golf.’
Gaigalaite was arrested after failing a roadside breath test.
Ms Ciesla added: ‘She seemed incapable of keeping control of the children and the police officers had to ensure they did not step into the busy road.
‘The offence is aggravated by carrying passengers and being involved in a collision.’
The first-time offender’s lawyer Bruce Reid told the court: ‘They are not the most serious offences, although I choose my words carefully because there are aggravating features to the excess alcohol charge.
‘She was feeling overwhelmed and was drinking at home, although she says alcohol is not a problem for her.
‘She was under extreme pressure, looking after the children.’