Derbyshire mum drove daughter from school four times over alcohol limit

Nicola Gilbert, 43, was pulled over in Darley Dale when police were tipped off that she was driving her Ford Focus under the influence at around 5.45 pm on September 6.

The court heard Gilbert - seeking separation from her reluctant husband - had turned to drink “in stress” on the day of the incident.

When her youngest daughter called requesting a lift as the school bus had not turned up, Gilbert got behind the wheel as “she felt fine”.

Prosecutor Sian Young, describing how Gilbert was pulled over, said: “Her two daughters were her passengers - the girls were later collected by their father.

“An officer observed the odour of alcohol - a roadside breath test gave a reading of 135 (micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath).

Later in custody Gilbert gave a lower reading of 117 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

The defendant’s solicitor told magistrates her client, who had no previous convictions, had kept a clean licence from the age of 17 when she passed her driving test.

She described how Gilbert was separating from her husband - who she had been with for 28 years - however he “does not want the separation”.

She added: “While at home she has turned to drinking but has sought support for this - on the day, she had the day off to sort out the house sale in relation to the separation.

“In the afternoon, in stress, she accepts she turned to drink. She made the decision to drive. Her eldest daughter was at home and went voluntarily with her to pick up her sibling.”

The solicitor said there was no evidence of poor driving when Gilbert was pulled over.

She added: “She is very much ashamed to find herself in this situation.”

Gilbert, of Wyntor Avenue, Matlock, admitted drink driving.

She was handed a £750 fine, £300 victim surcharge, £85 court costs and a 26-month driving ban.