A WOMAN got behind the wheel after drinking after she became separated from fellow hen party guests, a court heard.

Police were called to an address on Warwick Road on July 7 by residents who reported a vehicle not known to them which was parked in a neighbour’s driveway.

When officers attended, Caitlin Graham, 27, was in the driver’s seat.

Prosecutor Jackie Partington told Carlisle Magistrates’ Court; “She was difficult to rouse. She appeared to be confused. She admitted to police that she had been drinking.

“She said the house was her friend’s. She was just sleeping in the car, officers did note damage to the side of a vehicle and a gate post.”

Graham provided a positive breath test which indicated that she was well over the drink-driving limit.

However, no evidential sample could be obtained when Graham was taken into custody. “The (test) procedure was explained to her a number of times but on each occasion that Miss Graham tried, the specimen was inadequate,” said Ms Partington.

Graham said there was no medical reason for not being able to comply.

In court she admitted failing to provide a specimen of breath for analysis.

Defence solicitor Lauren Heasley, mitigating, said of Graham: “By the time she arrived in custody she was in a state. It is noted on the paperwork that she kept apologising.”

Graham had been on a hen party at a nearby venue and left car keys behind the bar, intended to collect them the next day.

She became separated from others during the evening and could not understand why she decided to retrieve her keys and drive a short distance to meet others at her friend’s home, which was a 10-minute walk. This had been done under the influence of alcohol and not with sober judgement, said Ms Heasley.

As a conscientious student and part-time carer in the community, the offence was completely out of character.

Graham, of Palmer Road, Carlisle, was a woman of previous good character and, said the solicitor: “Her remorse is very clear.”

A district judge imposed a 12-month community order comprising 80 hours’ unpaid work. Graham was banned from driving for 18 months and offered a rehabilitation course which, if completed, would reduce the disqualification length by 18 weeks.