A Mercedes-driving mum was caught swigging from a vodka bottle while four times the drinks limit with a two year-old boy sitting on the back seat.
Jo Newberry, 42, an advertising and marketing senior account director was reported to the police by shocked members of the public, who spotted her boozing while sitting in the drivers’ seat.
She pleaded guilty to driving the black 2.1 litre A-Class vehicle in Raleigh Avenue, Tolworth on July 6 with 148 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.
The legal limit is 35.
Newberry, a graduate of the University of Central Lancashire, also pleaded guilty at Wimbledon Magistrates Court to being drunk in charge of a child.
“At midday police received a call reporting this defendant drinking vodka while at the wheel of her vehicle and with a child present in the car,” said prosecutor Ms Caroline Mungal yesterday.
“The vehicle was parked outside the Sunray NHS surgery and when officers arrived they describe her smelling strongly of alcohol and her speech was slurred.
“The police officers say it was obvious she was not in a fit state to drive.”
CCTV confirmed Newberry had driven to this spot. “Her black Mercedes slowly turned into Raleigh Avenue and pulled over as other vehicles struggled to pass.”
Newberry, of Bruce Hall Mews, Brudenell Road, Tooting Bec was ordered to complete 250 hours community service work, was banned from driving for three years and must attend 16 hours of drink-drive rehab.
For the drunk in charge of a child offence she was fined £330 and ordered to pay £85 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.
“She is extremely remorseful and very aware how serious this offence is and that she could have endangered her life, the child’s life and other road users,” said Gayle Farrell, defending.
Newberry had just abandoned her plan to drive to Portsmouth to visit her father, suffering flashbacks on the A3 to the time she would often travel to visit her dying mother ten years ago.
“She pulled in where there was a corner shop and bought a bottle of vodka and drank some there and then drove to where she was seen by members of the public.
“Everything just came back and she could not make that journey and her plan was to call her husband and say she could not drive, but the police were called.
“She has depression and anxiety and has tried to combat her own alcoholism. It is a serious problem,” said the lawyer.
The court heard Newberry attended AA meetings before her arrest, sought help from a psychotherapist and her GP and spent two three-week stints in residential detox.
She is now celebrating 55 days of sobriety.
Magistrate Richard Standon told her: “Due to the efforts you have made to address your problem and the fact you are a mother to a young child means we can depart from our usual sentencing guidelines.
“You have taken a lot of steps to address your drinking problem and we wish you success with that.”
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