Drink after work saw Mercedes driver banned from the roads

Stacey Robson, 32, of Hurstwood Road, Sunderland, appeared before South Tyneside Magistrates' Court charged with driving with excess alcohol.

Eve McDonnell prosecuting said that in May this year police officers were in Sunderland when they saw a Mercedes on the Queen Alexander Bridge.

She said: "It had cut across three lanes and hit the kerb a number of times."

When Robson was pulled over officers noticed a smell of alcohol and she was later found to have 165 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, with the limit being 80.

Harry Burn, defending, said: "This is a lady in full time employment and she will lose her job today."

He said her current role at Northern Gas requires her to have a driving licence.

Mr Burn added: "She had been out after work on a Friday and had a drink at a restaurant.

"She had a couple of glasses of wine and thought it would be fine. Unfortunately, two glasses of wine and it wasn't fine.

"She now has to find a job that doesn't involve driving."

Robson was banned from driving for 18 months and fined £900. She was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £90 surcharge.