Woman who drove through Dundee city centre while over seven times the drink limit avoids jail

A Dundee woman who drove through the city centre while more than seven times the drink-drive limit avoided a jail term.

Marilyn Lawrence was caught drunk behind the wheel on Meadowside in June.

She was detained by police and took a breath test and gave a reading almost seven and a half times the new limit, imposed in December last year.

Lawrence, 39, of Naltam House, pleaded guilty on summary complaint to a charge of driving with 164 microgrammes of alcohol in her breath.

The limit is 22 meaning she was almost exactly seven and a half times the legal limit.

Paul Parker Smith, defending, said: “The court will see there is a report that is positive in terms that she is engaging with alcohol counselling.”

Sheriff Lorna Drummond QC imposed a community payback order with one year’s supervision, an alcohol treatment requirement and 200 hours unpaid work in the community.

She also banned Lawrence from driving for 32 months.

Sheriff Drummond said: “You are a first offender and are clearly someone who has an alcohol problem.

“It seems to me that as a direct alternative to custody I am able to deal with this other than by sending you to jail.”