Drink-drive mum, four times limit, crashed with kids on board

Concerned passers-by confiscated car keys

A MOTHER who had drunk more than four times the legal limit crashed her car with her young children on board.

Earlier, concerned witnesses had called police to complain about the erratic driving of Nicola Fishlock, of Willis Close, Cold Ash, as she careered through Thatcham, narrowly missing other vehicles.

Last Thursday, Newbury magistrates warned the 40-year-old that she could face a prison sentence.

Helen Waite, prosecuting, said: “This is an extremely high alcohol reading. Around 8.30pm police received reports of a vehicle seen swerving along Bowling Green Road in Thatcham.

“It was hitting the kerb and almost hitting other vehicles.”

Police raced to intercept Ms Fishlock, the court heard, but were overtaken by events as, before they could find her, they began to receive reports of a collision outside Tesco Express in Thatcham.

Ms Waite said: “It was reported that the driver was so obviously under the influence that a member of the public had taken her keys from her.

“So here you have an extremely high reading, prolonged bad driving and an accident. All the aggravating features are there.

“But compounding all these factors was the fact that inside the car were four small children.”

Tests subsequently showed 152mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in Ms Fishlock’s system. The legal limit is 35mcg.

Ms Fishlock admitted driving a Ford S-Max on Northfield Road, Thatcham, after drinking more than the legal limit on November 11 last year.

Mike Davis, defending, said: “I acknowledge this is a very, very high reading and I have advised Ms Fishlock that this will have crossed the custody threshold in your sentencing guidelines.

“I also acknowledge the aggravating features such as evidence of bad driving and the fact there were young children in the car.

“This is, however, her first offence. And, ironically, the accident wasn’t her fault. A car pulled out and there was no way she could have avoided it.”

He added: “There’s clearly a problem here and it’s a long-standing one.”

He said that, since the incident, his client had been attending regular appointments with substance misuse organisation Swanswell.

A probation officer told magistrates that medical reports would be helpful and would take time to obtain.

Ms Fishlock was therefore bailed until April 1.

Imposing an interim driving ban, presiding magistrates Brenda Harding warned that all sentencing options, including custody, were to be considered.