A retired teacher was banned from driving for three years and fined £700 when she appeared in court on her fourth drink-drive charge.
Patricia Selves (64), of Rangell Gate, Low Fulney, had 56 microgrammes of alcohol in breath – 21mcgs above the legal limit – when police stopped her Land Rover Discovery on April 9.
Spalding magistrates heard Selves had three previous convictions – one in 2004 and two just a fortnight apart in January 2007.
Solicitor Anita Toal, for Selves, said: “To say Miss Selves is utterly in shame for a fourth drink-drive offence would be an understatement and, to use her words, she is genuinely gutted and in absolute despair.
“She wishes to apologise to the court for what she terms a stupid mistake to drive one mile home after drinking.”
Selves pleaded guilty at the first opportunity to driving with excess alcohol and was told her fine would have been as high as £1,050 without that early guilty plea.
She must pay £85 costs and a £70 victim surcharge.
Marie Stace, prosecuting, said a police officer followed Selves along Weston Hills Road, Low Fulney, at 6.55pm.
Her Land Rover was being driven at 40mph and the officer stopped her because he thought the road was “normally faster than that”.
Miss Stace told the court: “He said she seemed slightly drunk”.
Mrs Toal said on that day Selves had been suffering a lot of abuse, harassment and threats from an associate.
Selves went out with friends for a meal and had two or three drinks.
Since her offences in 2007, Selves had made considerable efforts to stop herself from drinking and driving.
Mrs Toal said Selves was a music teacher who spent 39 years in secondary school teaching.