Teen Loses Licence For Driving Friend Home After Glass And A Half Of Wine

19-year-old Francesca Scott was home from university over the Christmas holidays when she decided it would probably best to get one friend, who'd had a few too many, home.

While driving the police pulled her over, noticing her very drunk friend slumped in the passenger's seat of the Mini Cooper she was driving.

Police officers asked the youngster to take a standard breath test which, due to the wine, she failed - turns out she had 54 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, when the legal limit is 35mg.

Following the failed test Francesca was taken to the police station where she was held until 5am.

The prosecutor, Robin Lynch, said she had 'good character' and 'fully compliant' with the police.

"This defendant is a lady of good character with no previous convictions on her record."

"Officers were on mobile patrol in the area of Manchester Road and saw a mini pull of a car park in the town centre. There were a number of off-licence premises around the area.

"They pulled that vehicle over and saw a female passenger seemed to be slumped over in the passenger seat asleep, they could smell intoxicant in the vehicle. They were fully compliant at the scene and the defendant was taken to a nearby police station where she provided breath tests.''

In mitigation, her lawyer Jon Mail, explained she'd only offered to drive her friend to save her getting a taxi alone and the whole experience, including going to the police station was 'traumatic' for the student.

He said: "She was completely cooperative with police at the scene and at the station.

"She is a full-time student in Falmouth and was back home over the Christmas period. She had gone to meet some friends from home, she did not intend to drink and was in her mum's car. She did have one and a half glasses of wine.

"Unfortunately, one of her friends was in a bad way and foolishly Miss Scott had offered to give her friend a lift home.

"She has always been told by her parents not to go in a taxi alone as a female and she made the wrong decision to drive her friend home rather than put her in a taxi."

He added: "It was a shock to her that she was over the limit. She was put in a cell all night and her parents did not know where she was until 5 o'clock in the morning, the whole experience has been traumatic for her."

The youngster was fined £120 along with the ban - which may be reduced should she be offered the rehabilitation scheme.