Nine-hour drive over the limit

Helen Victoria Jordan, 41, appeared before Carlisle’s magistrates’ court yesterday where she pleaded guilty to being more than two-times the legal drink-drive limit.

Jordan, of Croft Court, Wigton had been visiting family in the Cornwall area for a funeral and had consumed a considerable amount of alcohol before attempting to drive to her home address.

Magistrates heard from prosecutor Pam Ward how the driver of a heavy goods vehicle saw the silver Ford Fiesta come “spinning towards him” on the M6 at Tebay.

Mrs Ward explained: “At 6.05pm on August 27, a witness of a heavy goods vehicle saw a car spinning towards him.

“The car crashed into the vehicle and the witness saw a lady still sitting in the vehicle.

“She had minor cuts to her head.”

Jordan had driven more than 400 miles before colliding with the heavy good vehicle.

Her Ford Fiesta was extensively damaged and, according to the insurance, was classified as a write-off.

Police and ambulance staff attended. Jordan was arrested and taken to the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle.

She was treated for minor injuries to her head and then discharged.

A sample of blood showed that Jordan had 199mcg of alcohol in 100ml of blood meaning she was two-and-a-half times the legal limit.

Dressed in black trousers and a black jacket, Jordan explained to the magistrates: “I was driving back from Cornwall after being there for a week for a family funeral.

“I had been driving for nine hours with only a couple of stops.

“There was lots of traffic building up and there had already been a crash that I was caught in earlier. I just wanted to get home and see my family.”

Jordan was fined £76 which was reduced because of her guilty plea.

She has been disqualified for 20 months and was offered the drink-drivers’ rehabilitation course which will reduce the ban by 20 weeks.

Jordan has until February 2021 to complete the drivers’ rehabilitation course and if she does, her driving ban will end on April 26.