Powys: Drink driver sentenced for crashing while on way to buy alcohol

Kayleigh Walker, 30, was convicted following a trial that proved she had driven her Volkswagen Polo in New Church Street with 128 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath when the legal limit is 35.

Magistrates decided to sentence the Newtown woman to a 12-month community order and banned her from driving for 30 months when she appeared in court on Tuesday, April 11.

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Welshpool Magistrates' Court heard that police were told about a crash involving Walker's VW Polo and a Vauxhall Astra at about 10pm on November 12.

Officers went to Walker's home to find a vehicle with "considerable" damage, and her asleep on the sofa.

Justin Espie, prosecutor, told the court: "The defendant stated she had not drunk since the collision and had been asleep since getting back from the collision.

"She was transported to the police station, and she specifically tells the officer at the police station that she had not drunk anything for a few hours. Then in interview she confirmed she had not drunk anything after the collision.

"There were three sets of admission that she hadn’t drunk post-driving."

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Julian Davies, probation officer, said Walker told him that she was drinking alcohol at home watching the Autumn International rugby series on the day of the crash.

"From there she drove to Spar to purchase more alcohol when she collided with another vehicle," Mr Davies said.

"She tells me she drove home because she felt anxious and panicked by what had happened. She now accepts that she never should have done it and deeply regrets driving under the influence of alcohol."

Mr Davies added that Walker was at a low risk of reoffending and serious harm, although her alcohol use had been "problematic" in the past but she had engaged with Kaleidescope to help her with her issues.

Huw Williams, mitigating, told the court that it was Walker's first criminal offence, and she has no previous convictions.

"There was damage to the vehicle but it was not considerable," Mr Williams said.

"The proposal by probation is clearly sensible for this 30-year-old who had volunteered self-help."

Stephen Pembroke, chairman of the magistrates' bench, said: "We don’t believe it's past the custody threshold. We will deal this by way of a community order. We are going to give you a 12-month community order, 10 rehabilitation requirement days, and 60 hours of unpaid work."

Walker, of Glandwr, Newtown, was ordered to pay £770 court costs and a £114 victim surcharge.