‘Designated driver’ Francesca Land who was driving erratically on A141 at Rings End in March was three-and-a-half times drink limit
A “designated driver” who was found to be more than three times the legal drink-drive limit has been banned for almost two years.
Francesca Land, 24, was arrested on the A141 at Rings End, near March, just before midnight on January 26.
A police officer came across Land’s car ahead of him on the single carriageway and noticed she kept braking, despite no other vehicles being on the road ahead.
The officer witnessed her repeatedly speeding up above the speed limit, swerving across lanes and hitting the verge on a couple of occasions before pulling her over in a layby.
Land initially denied having had any alcohol but gave a reading of 129mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath following a test – more than three-and-a-half times the legal limit of 35mcg – resulting in her arrest.
While being taken into custody, she told officers she had “only had a few shandies” and was the “designated driver” for her and her friends.
Land, of Wooden Drive, Sunderland, was charged with drink-driving which she admitted at Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court the following day and was handed an interim driving ban.
She appeared at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court in County Durham on Monday where she was disqualified from driving for 23 months and must renew her licence at the end of the ban.
PC James Dolan, who made the arrest, said: “Thankfully no one was injured as a result of her drink-driving and I was able to intervene after being concerned about her manner of driving.
“There is no excuse – if you want to have a drink, please find alternative ways of getting home, or if you make the decision to be the designated driver, the safest option is to not consume any alcohol at all.”
Cambridgeshire Police operates a dedicated, confidential hotline – 0800 032 0845 – which is available 24/7 and gives the public the chance to provide information about anyone they think may be driving under the influence.
Crimes in action should always be reported to the police by calling 999.