A WOMAN who went out with friends to toast the Queen’s memory had a sip too many and was caught drink driving.

Helen Price was pulled over by the police who spotted her driving near Somerton with a defective light. When they spoke to her they could smell alcohol and she gave a positive breath test reading.

When she appeared in the dock before Somerset Magistrates they were told she was “deeply ashamed” of what she had done as she had abstained from drinking alcohol for many years but had let her guard down.

Price, 58, of Dairy Court, Somerton, pleaded guilty to a charge of drink driving in her Mercedes vehicle on the A372 at Catsgore on September 18.

Prosecutor Ann Ellery said that the police were on duty at 10.30pm when they saw a defective rear light on the defendant’s car.

“After giving a positive test result at the roadside she was taken into custody where a further test revealed a reading of 46mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, the legal limit is 35mcg of alcohol,” she said.

Defending, Sally Donaldson told the court that Price was deeply ashamed of losing her good character after she had been driving since the age of 17.

“She immediately admitted to the police that she had been drinking when they pulled her over,” she said.

“She had gone out that evening after being invited by friends to meet and mark the Queen’s passing and had something to eat as well as a glass of wine that was topped up by friends leaving her just over the limit.”

She added that Price had stopped drinking completely a few years ago and had a drink for the first time on this occasion.

The magistrates disqualified Price from driving for 14 months and fined her £576 with a victim surcharge and £85 costs.