Drink-driver ‘tried to blame her husband’

Michelle Camilleri shouted and screamed at police who were tipped off she was drink-driving and saw her walking away from a car she had driven to the Lord Derby pub, St Annes, where she worked.

Police contacted Camilleri’s husband who confirmed that his wife had driven off while he remained at home looking after their three children.

Camilleri, aged 33, of Greenacres, Freckleton, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

She had a previous conviction for failing to provide a sample for alcohol testing in 2005.

She was sentenced to six months’ supervision, ordered to spend time at the Lancashire Women’s Activity Centre, told to pay £85 costs with £60 victims’ surcharge and banned from driving for three years by District Judge Meirion Lewis-Jones sitting at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court.

The judge told her: “Your level of alcohol was almost three times the limit. Unhappily, you don’t seem to have learnt your lesson from last time.”

Alison Quanbrough, prosecuting, said police received information a woman driving a Renault Megane had been drinking on June 22 about 10pm . A patrol saw the car on the car park of the Lord Derby pub, Clifton Drive South. A breath test showed 100 micrograms of alcohol in her body - 35 is the limit.

Martin Hillson, defending, said at the time of the offence Camilleri had a lot of pressure and problems in her life. She was on medication, but had stopped taking it. She and her husband were also having marital difficulties and they had since separated.

At present she was signed off sick from her pub job.