Sheffield nurse pulled up in Chesterfield was so drunk she had to be helped into the back of police car

Kelly Louise Gettings was spotted by an off duty police officer struggling to manoeuvre her car in the Dunston Road area of the town on June 12, Chesterfield Magistrates’ Court was told on Wednesday, October 21.

The officer decided to follow the 28-year-old and observed her narrowly missing parked cars as she weaved down the road and, because he was off duty, dialled 999 and reported it to colleagues, said Bill Taylor, prosecuting.

At the roadside, Gettings blew 135mg of alcohol to 100ml of breath, when the legal limit is 35mg, meaning that had she been prosecuted for drink driving she would have been nearly four times over the legal limit.

But when she was taken to Chesterfield Police Station, where law dictates that she has to be breathalysed twice more in a limited time, she was too drunk to blow into the machine, the court heard.

Mr Taylor told the court: “At one point, the officer saw the driver of the vehicle wind down the window and shout f*** off, because she was aware that he was following her.

“Eventually, the car pulled up and at that point the officer got out and spoke to the lady. He detected a strong smell of alcohol and her speech was slurred, so he reached inside the vehicle and took the keys and told her to wait in the car until uniformed officers arrived.

“He noticed that when she was taken to the police car she was having huge difficulty standing up and had to be helped into the back.

“She was taken to the police station where it was explained to her that she would have to give two breath readings, and at first she refused. But when it was explained to her the consequences of that, she agreed.

“She did manage to provide some breath, but she didn’t give enough to provide an evidential reading.”

Gettings, now of Stone Street, Mosborough, Sheffield, but who had lived at St Chads Way, Chesterfield, at the time of the offence, had admitted failing to provide a specimen for analysis at a hearing on September 28, but the case had been adjourned for pre-sentence reports to be prepared by the Probation Service.

Speaking in her own defence, Gattings said: “I understand what I have done - at the time I wasn’t in a very good place, but I have no excuse for what happened. I had been off sick due to my mental health and I was using alcohol to help, but I have been able to control it more.

Gettings was given a 12-month community order to include 10 rehabilitation activity days and 120 of unpaid work, and banned from driving for 19 months.

She must also pay £85 costs and a £95 victim surcharge.

She was also offered a drink-drive rehabilitation course which would reduce the disqualification by 20 weeks if completed by October 5, 2021.

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