A drink-driver who smashed into a wall appeared before Norwich magistrates

A 21-year-old woman who had taken a drink and drugs cocktail before getting in her car smashed into a brick wall and then a fence, a court heard.

Sophie Carter, from Rosebay Close, Old Catton, was still “headbanging” to the music in her car when she was arrested by police.

Carter pleaded guilty to driving while unfit through drink and possession of a class C drug, ketamine, when she appeared before Norwich magistrates on Wednesday.

Judith Piggen, prosecuting, said Carter was travelling in Holt Road, Horsford on November 29 last year, when her erratic driving was spotted by a motorist travelling behind.

She said: “The other driver became aware of the Peugeot 106 in front, because of the manner of driving. The vehicle hit the verge, and was weaving across the road.

“The driver of the car behind phoned police and they also decided to follow the car.

“The driver continued to hit the kerbs and it drove on the pavement. It then hit somebody’s brick wall, crashing through a boundary wall across a driveway, before hitting a wooden fence next to the driveway. The driver was still headbanging to the music in the car.”

Police arrived and Carter, who is a dental receptionist, was said to be babbling incoherently and laughing.

They smelled alcohol on her breath and she gave a roadside breath test reading of 39mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath, while the legal limit is 35mcg.

She was arrested and opted to give another reading, this time in blood, at the police station. When told that she would be searched, she took two bags of ketamine from her bra. The blood test was sent away for analysis and showed traces of ketamine.

Gavin Cowe, for Carter, said that afterwards she wrote two letters of apology to the occupants of the damaged property and had started counselling sessions to combat her alcohol consumption.

He said: “She was going through a tough time. A long-term relationship had come to an end and she was drinking more than she should. While she had taken ketamine earlier that day, she said alcohol was responsible for her actions. She’s rightly ashamed of what she did.”

Carter was handed a 12-month conditional discharge, a 12-month community order, and was banned from driving for 12 months. She must pay a £60 victim surcharge and £85 costs.