Woman resigns from Boston shop job after drink-driving charge

A 54-year-old woman has resigned from her shop job after being caught drink-driving.

A tip-off led to police speaking to Joanne Dawson in the car park of a Boston store where she was about to start work, town magistrates heard on Wednesday, June 25.

She had driven from the town’s Market Place at about 10.45am on June 12.

A roadside test indicated she was more than twice the drink-drive limit.

A later evidential test gave a lower reading of 61 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit being 35.

Dawson, of Shore Road, Freiston, pleaded guilty to drink-driving.

In mitigation, solicitor Beris Brickles said: “She’s had a driving licence for many years.

“It’s always very sad when someone finds themselves in this position at their time of life, having had a licence for so long.”

Mr Brickles said his client had been to the hairdresser’s on the morning of the offence and police had stopped her in the car park of the store where she was going to work.

He assumed the tip-off had come from someone who was in her company earlier.

“She had drunk the night before and I think what was in her system was residue from the previous night,” he added.

Dawson had resigned her position as a result of the offence, the solicitor added.

She was banned from driving for 17 months, which can be reduced by 17 weeks with completion of a drink-driver rehabilitation course.

A fine of £120 and costs and victim surcharge totalling £133 were also imposed.