A RETIRED nurse has received a suspended sentence for drink-driving.

Margaret Willson, of Mallory Walk, Dodleston, Chester, appeared at Chester, Ellesmere Port and Neston Magistrates Court on April 14, after admitting drink-driving at an earlier date.

The court heard at about 3.45pm on February 8 Mrs Willson was seen driving her car erratically on Lache Lane by a bus driver. The driver said the car coursed from side to side and went on the wrong side of the road in front of oncoming traffic.

The bus driver contacted the police and followed the car to nearby shops where he managed to take the keys from Willson to prevent further driving.

Police officers at the scene said she did not comply with the road side breath test. At the police station she gave a breath test reading of 166microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath; the legal limit is 35microgrammes.

Willson had driven from her home to the Co-op to buy wine, cigarettes and bread. She estimated she had had half a bottle of wine that day and had consumed a couple of bottles the night before but hadn’t felt drunk.

Willson accepted full responsibility for her actions.

Richard Thomas, defending, said Willson understood how serious it was to drive a vehicle while drunk and had described it as a ‘heinious thing’.

He said Willson had been an outstanding member of the Chester community having worked for the NHS for 30 years. She retired three years ago and a year later her husband died of a brain haemorrhage.

Unable to cope with her grief Willson turned to drink.

Magistrates said Willson was very close to going to jail.

They gave her a 12-week jail sentence suspended for 12 months, disqualified her from driving for four years and gave her three community requirements including supervision for six months, an alcohol activity requirement and 200 hours of community work.

She was ordered to pay £85 costs.