A MOTORIST found ‘highly intoxicated’ behind the wheel has been banned from the roads for four years.

Karen Trainor, 38, was attempting to drive a vehicle on a car park in Workington on the afternoon of April 12.

Pamela Fee, prosecuting at Workington Magistrates’ Court, said police arrived and found Trainor in the driver’s side of the vehicle. Her son was preventing her from driving away.

She had the key in the ignition and was ‘highly intoxicated’. She wasn’t breathalysed due to acting in an aggressive manner.

Trainor was required to provide samples for analysis at the police station but refused to do so. When asked if there was any reason why she couldn’t provide a sample, she said ‘there were loads’.

Police said Trainor was ‘erratic’ and ‘verbally abusive’ while at the police station. She was ‘struggling to string a sentence together’.

Ms Fee said the defendant had a previous conviction for failing to provide a specimen for analysis.

Mike Woolaghan, defending, said: “When I first saw her, shortly after the point of detection, she was honest about the extent of the difficulties she was having.

“She made a self-referral to Recovery Steps. She has been addressing the alcohol misuse.

“She has behaved in an exemplary manner with the probation service. She wants that help.

“She had not driven the vehicle while over the limit. She would insist no intention to do so.”

Trainor, of High Close, High Harrington, Workington, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to failing to provide a specimen for analysis.

Magistrates imposed a 12-month community order with a three-month alcohol treatment programme and a three-month mental health treatment requirement.

Trainor was banned from driving for 48 months. She was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £114 victim surcharge.