Woman's drink drive arrest 'a blessing'

Emily Baldwin said her arrest sparked a desire to seek help for her drinking problem after pleading guilty at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates Court to getting behind the wheel while drunk.

A breath test conducted after her arrest displayed 150mgs of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Baldwin, of Bramble Close in Standish, had earlier been stopped on Mesnes Road on the evening of July 9, after police were concerned by the manner of her driving.

Officers noted the car was weaving in and out of the lane, and that after being stopped, Baldwin’s eyes were glazed over and her speech slurred.

The 27-year-old, who was the sole occupant of the Toyota Aygo, was also unsteady on her feet when she got out of the car.

It was later revealed that Baldwin had been to see her grandmother that afternoon, and had drunk several glasses of wine with her.

But Baldwin’s solicitor, Bill Pearson, told justices that the resulting fall-out had led Baldwin to seek help for her drinking problem.

Mr Pearson said of the NHS worker: "This case shows that these things can happen to anybody.

"She was struggling to cope with stress and didn’t feel she wanted to tell anybody, so she has turned to alcohol. Mercifully, nothing tragic happened.

"This is a blessing in disguise, because otherwise no one might have known what was going on with her."

Baldwin told probation workers that she had turned to drink to cope with her anxiety, but had not touched a drop since the incident and was already undergoing further support.

She was given an eight week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and was banned from driving for 36 months.