Motorist with child in vehicle was found to be three times the drink drive limit after almost causing a crash

Leanne Stewart (33), of Ballymena Road, Cullybackey, admitted driving with excess alcohol in breath on January 21 this year.

A prosecutor told Antrim Magistrates' Court, sitting in Ballymena, that at 9pm a man had to do an emergency stop after a vehicle pulled out of a side road between Cullybackey and Ballymena.

He followed the vehicle to a Domino's car park in Ballymena and noted the vehicle was going very slowly and there was a "young girl" in the passenger seat.

Police were contacted and found the defendant in the vehicle at Domino's and smelt intoxicating liquor.

The defendant had a reading of 109 in breath - the legal limit is 35 - when taken to Antrim Police Station.

She told police she had wine around 4.45pm and even though she had been drinking the night before she felt "absolutely fine to drive".

A defence solicitor said the defendant had no previous convictions.

She said she had explained the "seriousness" of the situation to the defendant who had a 13-year-old girl in the car.

The lawyer said the defendant was treating the situation "very seriously".

Deputy District Judge Alan White told the defendant to say that she thought she was fit to drive at three times the limit was "just ridiculous".

The defendant was banned from driving for 16 months; will have to re-sit her driving test and was fined £250.