A 64-year-old woman was almost twice the legal alcohol limit when she crashed into two parked cars in Stourbridge Road, Dudley, on July 27. Bajinder Kaur, who pleaded guilty to driving while above the alcohol limit, was found to have 64 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – the legal limit is 35 microgrammes.
Police were alerted by members of the public who had seen Kaur driving the Astra and reported that she was 'trying to drive off' before officers arrived. Officers, who 'believed to be intoxicated', matched her description to the one given by witnesses.
Court hearing and guilty plea
At Dudley Magistrates' Court on September 10, Kaur, representing herself, tearfully told magistrates: "I just wanted to say sorry. It is out of character for me to do something like this." A relative then read out a statement prepared by Kaur in which she expressed being 'deeply ashamed' to stand before the courts.
In the statement, Kaur said that before making 'this terrible mistake' she had been a 'law abiding citizen' and described the incident as a 'profound wake-up call'. She said she had joined Alcoholics Anonymous and was taking 'the necessary steps' to ensure 'nothing like this happens again'.
Penalty and driving ban
Kaur was fined £253 for the offence and ordered to pay £85 in court costs and a £101 victim surcharge. She was also banned from driving for 17 months, with the option to reduce the ban by 17 weeks if she completed a course by a set date.
The incident and subsequent court action highlight the consequences of drink-driving in the West Midlands. The 17-month ban and financial penalties reflect the seriousness of the offence, which occurred on a residential road in Dudley.
