Suspected Rotherham drink and drug driver banned

Sakena Karim, 27, of Willow Beck, at Eastwood, Rotherham, was stopped while she was driving a BMW on Cranworth Road, Rotherham, and it was discovered she did not have a licence or insurance, according to a Sheffeld Magistrates’ Court hearing.

Prosecuting solicitor Kirsty Pearson said police stopped the BMW and after failing a provisional road side breath test she was taken to a police station where she refused to take an evidential intoxilyzer test.

Mrs Pearson added Karim was also asked to provide a urine sample to test for drugs but she refused to do so.

Karim pleaded guilty to failing to provide a breath specimen, to driving without a licence and without insurance, and to failing to provide a urine sample after the incident on October 31.

The defendant told the court she has “additional needs” and mental health issues.

She added she had been offered a lift home and was waiting in the BMW but when the driver did not come she decided to drive herself and she had only been two streets away from her home when police stopped her.

Mrs Pearson said police had stopped Karim after they had been following up a report of a suspected stolen car.

Karim admitted that she had been drinking and that was why she had taken the car and the probation service added that she became agitated with the police.

The probation servce added that Karim has no previous convictions and she had been to Players Bar, on West Street, Sheffield, and was getting a lift but the driver of the BMW had left the vehicle with the engne running.

The court heard Karim previously held a driving licence and still thought she had one .

Magistrates sentenced Karim to a four month curfew, between 7pm to 7am, and ordered her to pay £40 costs and a £90 victim surcharge.

She was also disqualified from driving for 24 months.