Boozed-up motorist is fined after she was caught over the limit in a parked car

A boozed-up motorist - who was fined after she was caught over the alcohol limit behind the wheel of a parked car - told a court she did not realise it was an offence.
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Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on May 21 how Kelsey South, 22, of London Road, Buxton, was found by police in the driver’s seat of a car on Linacre Road, at Holme Hall, Chesterfield.

Prosecuting solicitor Dan Church said a police officer spotted the parked vehicle with its lights on with the defendant slumped over the steering wheel with the keys in the ignition but the engine was not running.

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Mr Church added: “She opened the driver’s side door and her speech was slurred and officers took the keys from the ignition and as she got out she stumbled backwards and the officers prevented her from falling over.”

Chesterfield magistrates' court.Chesterfield magistrates' court.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.

The court heard how South, who has no previous convictions, registered 56 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath when the legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

She pleaded guilty to being in charge of a vehicle after consuming so much alcohol that the proportion of it in her breath exceeded the prescribed limit after the offence on May 7.

South told the court: “I genuinely did not know it was an offence to be in a car. I know drink-driving is an offence but I had no intention to drive.

“I was meant to be going out and I had not got my key.

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“I genuinely did not know it was an offence and I had no intention to drive the vehicle and the lights were on because I was charging my phone.”

Magistrates fined South £220 and ordered her to pay £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

South also had her driving licence endorsed with ten points.