A woman drove her car despite drinking five pints of lager and ended up being more than three times over the drink drive limit.

Prosecutor, Andy Wills, told Kirklees magistrates that Julie Lonergan of Frithcliffe Road, Liversedge, had been drinking since lunchtime on December 6 after driving to a pub with friends and family.

He said Mrs Lonergan was arrested after being involved in a car accident at the junction of Bradford Road and Listing Lane, Liversedge, later that evening.

Her Vauxhall Corsa collided with a Volkswagen Polo and police were called.

Mr Wills said that when interviewed she said that at the pub there had been an argument and she decided to get in her car and drive home.

“She didn’t know how the road traffic collision had occurred but accepted it was her fault, “ said Mr Wills.

He said a breath test revealed she had 113 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms of alcohol for every 100 millilitres of breath.

Defending herself, Lonergan said that in 16 years of driving she had never driven after having consumed alcohol. She said: “I am really sorry.”

The bench disqualified her from driving for 28 months though she was given permission to take part in a drink drive rehabilitation course which if successfully completed reduced the length of the disqualification.

She was also sentenced to a community order to last for 12 months and which includes 100 hours of unpaid work.

In addition she was ordered to pay costs and victim surcharge totally £145 and payable at £5 per week.