A woman who tried to use a drive-through McDonald's while so drunk staff could smell the booze on her breath from her car has been banned from driving.
Nadeen Simpson, 30, of Albert Road, Jarrow, pleaded guilty to drink driving at South Tyneside Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.
The court heard she had visited the McDonald's on Kirkstall Road, Boldon Colliery , on Saturday April 13, and attempted to order food from the drive-through. But, worried that she seemed to be drunk, staff called the police.
Prosecuting, Lesley Burgess said: "She moves on in the vehicle to the next pay point, it's at that point where they could smell intoxicants coming through the window, they describe her eyes as being bloodshot and her words being slurred."
The McDonald's staff tried to prevent her from leaving, but by the time police arrived Simpson had driven away. Police identified her Citroen DS3 using CCTV, and visited her address, where they found the car parked in the driveway and Simpson appearing "intoxicated".
Breath tests revealed a rate of 107 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - more than three times the legal limit of 35 microgrammes.
Defence solicitor Kevin Smallcombe said Simpson, who had no previous convictions, had been experiencing a difficult time personally, and that her use of prescription medications may have contributed to her level of intoxication.
Describing her as a "sensible young lady", he said: "She works full time in Doxwood Park and she lives in Jarrow, so she knows a driving ban is going to present some problems."
Simpson was disqualified from driving for 26 months, and ordered to pay a total of £170 in victim surcharge and court costs.
She was also handed a 12 month community order and order to complete 100 hours of unpaid work.
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