City centre drinkdriver was seven times over limit

A woman who drove through Dundee city centre while more than seven times the drink-drive limit avoided a jail term.

Marilyn Lawrence was caught drunk while driving on Meadowside in June.

She was stopped by police and breathalysed – and gave a reading that was almost seven-and-a-half times the drink-drive limit.

Lawrence, 39, of Naltam House, Dundee, pleaded guilty on summary complaint to a charge of driving with 164 microgrammes of alcohol in her breath (the limit is 22).

The offence took place on June 25.

Paul Parker Smith, defending, said: “The court will see there is a report that is positive in terms that she is engaging with alcohol counselling.”

Sheriff Lorna Drummond QC imposed a community payback order with one year’s supervision, an alcohol treatment requirement and 200 hours unpaid work in the community.

She also banned Lawrence from driving for 32 months.

Sheriff Drummond said: “The reading here is exceptionally high.

“You have pleaded guilty to this offence. This is a reading that warrants custody.

“However, you are a first offender and you are clearly someone who has an alcohol problem.

“It seems to me that as a direct alternative to custody I am able to deal with this other than by sending you to jail.”

Scotland’s drink- drive limit was reduced in December 2014.

The previous limit for breath tests was 35 microgrammes in 100 millilitres of breath.

Marilyn Lawrence.