'˜I'm not getting in the car with mum '“ she's drunk'

Shona McIntyre (46) arrived at the school and, knowing her mother had been drinking, the sensible girl refused to get in the car with her and ran back to her gran to tell her.

Police later found McIntyre asleep in the front seat of her car at Grandsable Cemetery where her parents were buried. She was five times over the drink drive limit.

Appearing at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday, McIntyre previously pled guilty to drink driving in Bowhouse Road, Grangemouth, Salmon Inn Brae and Grandsable Cemetery, Polmont, on June 21. She gave a reading of 116 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, when the legal limit is 22 microgrammes.

Procurator fiscal depute Mhairi Alexander said: “It was 3.30pm and the accused arrived to pick up her 12-year-old daughter from school. The daughter was standing with her gran and when she realised her mum was drunk she ran back to her gran and told her.

“Her grandmother took the car keys from the accused to prevent further driving. However, the accused must have got the keys back or had a spare set because she was able to drive the car again.

“She was found later on that day parked in the cemetery, asleep in the front seat with the keys in the ignition with two bottle of wine beside her.”

The court heard McIntyre, a catering assistant, had been having difficulties with alcohol for some time.

Lynne Swan, defence solicitor, said: “She has had emotional difficulties and drinks alcohol to try and deal with things. She has gone to Sign Post for help in the past.

“She had been drinking on the day she went to pick up her daughter. Her daughter was sensible enough to know she shouldn’t get in the car with her mother at that time.

“She sought help from the relative who was at the school with her and her mother then drove to a local cemetery where both her parents were buried. She consumed a lot of alcohol while she was there.

“She does accept she was driving over the limit.”

Sheriff John Mundy banned McIntyre, 19 Nelson Street, Grangemouth from driving for 21 months and fined her £600 to be paid 
off at a rate of £100 per month.