A DRINK-driver who crashed into a roundabout tried to claim her partner had been behind the wheel before bursting into tears and admitting it was her.

Helen King admitted driving with excess alcohol after she crashed into a bush on a roundabout linking the A4440 to Dugdale Drive in Warndon Villages, Worcester, when she appeared before magistrates in Worcester.

The court was told King, aged 40, of Key Avenue, Warndon Villages, was behind the wheel of a Vauxhall Zafira at 10pm on Tuesday, July 23, when the incident happened.

Sarah Stock, prosecuting, said: “A report was received from a member of the public that her car had ended up in a bush on the roundabout.”

A female with a pink top and blue jeans was observed walking away, she said, and police checks revealed details of where the car was registered and officers visited her address.

The door was answered by a woman matching the description of the witness.

“The officer could tell she was drunk,” Mrs Stock told the court.

“She was slurring her words and unsteady on her feet. She said her partner had lost control of the vehicle.”

When officers said she matched the description of a woman seen leaving the scene she began to cry and admitted she had been driving the car, not her partner.

Her partner had also tried to claim he was driving but officers noted the drivers’ seat was too close to the steering wheel, suggesting it had been driven by someone smaller.

She was arrested and a breath test revealed a reading of 78mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, more than twice the limit of 35mcg.

She told police she had drunk a bottle of wine and had an argument with her partner before she drove.

She was angry and took the car out, not giving a thought to how much she had had to drink, Mrs Stock said.

Steven Williams, defending, said it was very out of character for her.

She had no previous convictions and no points on her driving licence. He also said she was going through a difficult period at the moment and had only recently given birth via caesarean section.

“It’s right to say both she and her partner are under a tremendous amount of stress,” he said.

Prior to giving birth she worked as a self-employed child minder, a position now in jeopardy because of the inevitable driving ban.

He said: “This is a blip in an otherwise unblemished life. I doubt the court will ever see her again.”

King was banned from driving for 17 months, fined £100 and ordered to pay £85 towards prosecution costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

If she completes a drink- drivers course, which would have to pay for herself, it would wipe a quarter (17 weeks) off the length of her ban.