Jail for alcoholic in driving near misses

A chronic alcoholic who was found to be nearly four times over the legal drink drive limit and with a near empty bottle of vodka in her car when she was stopped by police officers has been jailed for 20 weeks.

Joanne Dewhurst, aged 41, almost caused two crashes as she drove from the McDonald's car park onto Halesowen Street in Oldbury on September 28 last year. Concerned customers contacted the police to tell them she was slumped over the wheel.

Prosecutor Maxine Jarr-ousse told Warley Magistr-ates Court yesterday that it was customer Kelly Jordan who had contacted police about Dewhurst's driving.

Ms Jordan had been leaving MacDonald's when a woman driving a blue Rover almost drove into the back of her. She then saw this same woman nearly crash into another car. Miss Jarrousse said Dewhurst was "slumped" at the wheel.

Ms Jordan passed the vehicle's registration number to police who traced it to Dewhurst's home. When police found her they discovered the remains of a fast food meal and a near empty bottle of vodka in her car. She was slurring her words.

Blood tests revealed she was more than three times over the legal limit. The court heard Dewhurst of Wolverhampton Road, Oldbury, had pleaded guilty to the offence and had two previous convictions for drink driving in 1998 and 2002.

Defending Arvind Sharma told the court: "Miss Dewh-urst is a chronic alcoholic."

Mr Sharma told the court she has a long list of medical problems and suffers from panic attacks and anxiety.

He said: "She has sold her car to try and prevent this from happening again."

Chairman of the magistrates, Patricia Martin ban-ned Dewhurst from driving for five years. Mr Sharma told the court his client would appeal the sentence.