Boozed-up student nurse was caught nearly three times over the drink-drive limit

Abigail Smith's blue Peugeot was stopped on Tuxford Road, Walesby, at 11.30pm, on December 5, last year, said prosecutor Robert Carr

A test revealed she had 97 mcgs of alcohol in 100 l of breath, when the legal limit is 35 mcgs.

"She was celebrating a milestone in her education," said Chris Perry, in mitigation. "It meant she drank without thinking of what she would do later in the evening.

"She made the much-regretted decision to drive the short distance home through country streets."

He said the student mental nurse, who has worked for four years in a secure environment, was of previous good character.

“She has obviously sworn an oath to protect life - not endanger it,” Mr Perry said.

He said Smith faced further sanctions from her university and had embarrassed her family, one of whom works in the probation service.

“This is not a lady who needs to be educated in terms of the risks she posed,” Mr Perry added. “The disqualification will deal with that short term risk.”

Smith, 29, of New Hill, Walesby, pleaded guilty to drink-driving when she appeared at Nottingham Magistrates Court, on March 18.

Magistrates fined her £200, and ordered her to pay £85 costs and a £32 surcharge.

She was banned from driving for 25 months, but she was offered a rehabilitation course for drink -drivers which will take 190 days off the disqualification if completed before August 2022.

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