A CHARD woman who was more than three times over the drink drive limit when she was pulled over by police claimed she had only drunk two or three glasses of wine.

Jacqueline Jane Twycross was stopped by an officer after he spotted her driving out from the Tesco car park at 4.30pm and when he spoke to her he could smell alcohol on her breath.

She said she had only drunk two glasses of wine earlier that day but after being breathalysed produced the high reading.

The 51-year-old defendant of Higher Beetham, pleaded guilty to driving a Hyundai vehicle on Tapstone Road, Chard, on August 5 after consuming excess alcohol.

Christine Hart, prosecuting, said that the police received information that Twycross had been drinking and when they pulled her over on Tapstone Road she was arrested.

“At the police station she took a further test which produced a reading of 109mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, the legal limit being 35cg of alcohol,” she said.

Twycross said: “I did have a few glasses of wine before I left home but did not realise I was that much over the limit.”

Probation officer Cheryl Steer said that the defendant had dropped a friend off in Chard and had then stopped to buy some tobacco.

“She drank two or three glasses of wine earlier that day and felt ok to drive although had not eaten,” she said.

“She does not normally drink and drive as she was previously a taxi driver, however she now realises the risk she posed to others.”

She said that Twycross drank several glasses of wine daily and realised that she would not be disqualified but said her partner was able to drive.

The magistrates told her that it was a very high reading and imposed a 26 month driving ban and also sentenced her to a community order with a requirement to carry out 100 hours unpaid work. Costs of £85 and an £85 victim surcharge were also imposed.