A woman has been banned from driving after crashing into a fence while nearly four times the alcohol limit.
Hazel Corkan was caught after shocked members of the public clocked her “erratic” driving and followed her before alerting the police.
The 47-year-old was seen swerving across the unnamed road between Portlethen and Cove, narrowly missing a kerb, traffic island and parked cars, before crashing into a fence.
When Corkan, who works as a buyer for an international oil firm, parked up at her home, the witnesses contacted the police and she failed a breath test.
Accused was ‘disgusted’ that she drove while over the limit
Fiscal depute Tom Procter told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “At 10.45pm on June 23 2021, the accused was observed by witnesses, driving erratically in front of their vehicle.
“She was seen to swerve across the road numerous times, almost colliding with a traffic island.”
The witnesses decided to follow the vehicle, which also accelerated and braked harshly, crossed onto the wrong side of the road, narrowly avoided hitting a kerb and crashed into a fence.
Accused was visiting family
When Corkan eventually parked up and entered her home, the witnesses contacted the police.
Corkan then failed a breath test and was arrested.
She told officers: “I thought I was okay and I’m disgusted I drove a very short distance home to my house.”
Corkan, of Cove Gardens, Cove, admitted careless driving and driving with 81 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 22 microgrammes.
Defence agent Mike Monro said his client had been visiting her family following a bereavement.
He added: “The accused would not dispute she had some alcohol when there.
“She then left around 10.30pm to go home.”
Referring to the witnesses, Mr Monro said: “They were paying attention to what the accused was doing and she was not paying attention to what she was doing because her mind was just totally elsewhere.”
He added that Corkan had also had a drink after she returned home before the police arrived.
Sheriff Morag McLaughlin fined Corkan a total of £940 and banned her from driving for 15 months.
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