Drunk mother stopped on A1

The officer who stopped her found children aged eight, nine and 10 in
the car - one of them Holland's own child - and noticed a strong smell of alcohol.

Bedlington magistrates heard Holland said she was driving from her home to Beadnell and told the officer she was an alcoholic and had consumed a bottle of vodka.

But she refused to give a breath test at the roadside, so she was arrested, handcuffed and taken to Bedlington police station, where she again refused to give a sample.

Yesterday Holland, who lives at Anick Hall, Anick near Hexham, was banned from driving for a year and ordered to pay £995 in fines and costs by Bedlington magistrates, after admitting failing to provide a breath specimen for analysis on October 31.

Holland, who appeared in court smartly dressed in black, said she would pay the amount in full within 14 days.

She was offered the option of taking a drink-driving rehabilitation course which, if completed successfully, will reduce her period of disqualification by three months. She refused to comment after the hearing.

Jeff Smith, prosecuting, said police received a call from a member of the public at 8.15pm on October 31 that a woman was driving erratically on the A1. An officer stopped the vehicle, which was driven by Holland and contained the three young passengers.

Alan Brown, defending, said Holland had been driving for 31 years and had no drink-related convictions.

On the night she was stopped she had driven without incident or accident from the Hexham area to the spot on the A1 where she was pulled over.

Mr Brown said the officer who stopped her examined her vehicle and found that one of the tyres was deflated. He said this might have been responsible for the manner in which it was being driven.

He said when Holland was arrested and taken to the police station she found herself in an alien environment and told police she wanted legal advice on what to do.

Mr Brown said: "The officer was not prepared to delay the breath test procedure until she had the opportunity to see a solicitor. Both sides maintained their positions, so a breath specimen was not provided.

"None of this is a criticism of the police, but she believed her stance was a reasonable one.

"She has learned her lesson and this will not happen again."