Boozed-up driver walked away from crash after car spun onto its roof

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on September 19 how Lyndsey Young, 26, of Beelow Close, Dove Holes, at Buxton, was helped out of the Peugeot 207 by a passing driver after he spotted the vehicle on its roof in the road near Doveholes.

Prosecuting solicitor Becky Allsop said: “He saw a shadow in the distance and saw a Peugeot 207 on its roof in the carriageway with smoke coming from the engine.

“He opened the driver’s door and a female fell out and she smelled strongly of alcohol and she walked away but not far and she returned.”

Mrs Allsop added that another witness saw Young running and she had said she wanted to go home and appeared drunk and her eyes were glazed.

She told one of the witnesses that the car belonged to her fiancé, according to Mrs Allsop.

Police confirmed that Young was later tested and she registered 110 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of urine when the legal limit is 107 milligrammes.

However, Mrs Allsop added that a drink-drive charge was withdrawn against Young due to time limit issues and this is not being pursued by the CPS.

The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of taking a vehicle without the consent of the owner and causing damage to the vehicle after the incident on September 24.

Defence solicitor Raj Chopra said Young has been suffering with depression and she was on medication and she had an argument with her partner and taken his car.

He added: “She’s genuinely remorseful and cannot believe she did that. It was because of an argument and the medication she was on.”

Mr Chopra argued that alcohol reading was only just over the legal drink-drive limit but Mrs Allsop said she was tested three-and-a-half hours after the incident.

Magistrates sentenced Young to a 12 month community order with an Alocohol Treatment Requirement and a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement.

She was fined £33 and must pay £85 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.

Young was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.