A STAFF nurse caught driving with a half-empty bottle of whisky in the car could not explain where it had come from, York magistrates heard.

Caroline Bernadette Newby was more than twice over the limit when police spotted her driving on the A1079 at Kexby, York magistrates heard.

Newby, 41, of The Lilacs, Pocklington, who works at York District Hospital, admitted drink-driving. She was banned for two years and fined £500 with £50 costs. It was her first offence in 10 years of motoring.

Prosecuting, Jane Chadwick said police stopped the nurse at 11.30pm on November 14.

She tried to hide the whisky bottle behind the passenger seat, said Jane Chadwick, prosecuting, but police found it. It was half empty.

When they tried to breathalyse her, she was unable to blow hard enough to give a reading, although police believed she was doing her best.

After she was taken to a police station she gave a blood sample which gave a reading of 194 milligrames of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80 mg.

Defending, Ms Randyana, said Newby had been socialising with friends and had had only two glasses of wine.

She had refused a third because it would have taken her over the limit.

"She is simply at a loss to explain why she was so far over the limit," said Ms Randyana. She thought she had maybe picked up the wrong glass and drunk more wine than she thought.

When she was stopped by police, she picked up her handbag to get out of the car and found a whisky bottle in it.

It was the first time she had seen it, as she had neither bought it nor put it there.

She had certainly not drunk from it.

The divorced mother was ashamed and regretted her drink-driving.

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