Court is told woman who was drunk in charge of vehicle was in a 'state of semi-undress'
A court was told police received a report of a suspected drink driver and when they arrived a woman in a parked car with the ignition on had her "trousers and underwear around her knees".
Brigada Moore (42), of Ardnaglass Gardens in Antrim town, admitted being in charge of a vehicle at Knockmoyle Drive in the town whilst having excess alcohol.
Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena, was told that at 10.50pm on April 3 this year police received a report that a vehicle had parked at the "bottom of Knockmoyle housing development and that a female driver was believed to be intoxicated".
A prosecutor said: "Police attended and observed a Peugeot 208 vehicle parked with the ignition on. The defendant was sitting in the driver's seat and upon speaking to her police detected the smell of intoxicating liquor" and "noted she had her trousers and her underwear around her knees".
The keys were in the front footwell. She failed a preliminary breath test and when taken to a police station she had an alcohol in breath reading of 106 - the legal limit is 35.
A defence barrister said the defendant was "deeply ashamed", regretted her actions; and wished to apologise.
District Judge Nigel Broderick asked: "Explain to me how she came to be in the vehicle intoxicated in a state of semi-undress?"
The barrister said: "She has no recollection of how she came to be there. She has very little recollection of that evening."
The judge added: "The whole thing is a bit of a mystery". The lawyer said the defendant has taken steps to engage with her GP.
After being given more information, Judge Broderick said: "It appears that this incident was caused possibly by a combination of alcohol and a mental health episode."
The defendant, who had three penalty points on her licence for speeding, has now been banned from driving for a month and fined £200.