Cheshire drink-driver tells court 'driveway too long to walk'

Barbara Woodward, a drink-driver, begged magistrates not to ban her from the road because her £6m mansion's quarter-mile driveway was too long for her to walk. The 56 year old also claimed she would struggle to do community service as she had never worked in her life.

Police arrested her for being three times the limit at 09:00 GMT in Chelford, Cheshire on 17 November, after they found her slumped at the wheel of her £79,000 Mercedes G-Class 4x4, with her make-up smeared and slurring her words.

The court heard she had tried to buy sparkling wine at a petrol station to make bucks fizz for friends.
The Petrol station attendant Sharid Butt described her as "stumbling all over the forecourt"

He called police after she drove off at 5mph and staggered out of another shop.

The court heard it happened two days after her husband's funeral.Mrs Woodward said: "He did everything, and then when he died I had to take over. I had never paid a bill in my life."

She denied drink driving but was banned for two years after being convicted at Stockport Magistrates' Court.

Magistrates ordered her to do 15 days' rehabilitation and fined her £560 with £760 surcharges.

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