Drink-Drive Woman Had Young Child With Her

Camberwell Green Magistrates Court

A woman was caught drink-driving at over twice the limit with a young child in her car.

Marguerita Doyle, 42, of Navarre Road, Brixton has been banned from the roads for nearly two years by magistrates who expressed concern for the youngster in her care.

She pleaded guilty to driving a black Citroen in Ackerman Road, Brixton on December 28, last year with excess alcohol in her breath and being drunk in charge of a child, aged under seven years-old, on the same occasion.

Camberwell Magistrates Court heard Doyle had 89 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Sentencing had been adjourned until today for the preparation of a pre-sentence report by the Probation Service.

“We have serious concerns about the activities you have displayed before us,” the bench chairperson told Doyle. “You say you are better now.”

She was placed on a twelve-month community order, which includes thirty-five days rehabilitation and a ninety-day alcohol abstinence requirement.

Doyle was also disqualified from driving for twenty-two months and ordered to pay £85 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.

“We have thought hard with this child in the forefront of our minds,” the chairperson told her. “We came close to use sending you into custody, you jeopardised this child when you were in drink.”