A Killinghall woman landed a hefty bill after being convicted of drink-driving.

Alison Brooks, of Ripon Road, was found guilty of the offence following a trial in August.

She returned to Harrogate Magistrates Court on Friday (October 24) for sentence.

Kathryn Walters, prosecuting, told the court the conviction followed an incident on January 25, 2024.

Police received a report of a single-vehicle collision at around midday that day, which occurred just off Ripon Road in Killinghall.

Brooks, who was the only occupant of the vehicle, was taken to hospital that afternoon.

It was there she provided police with a blood sample, which later recorded 218 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood – almost three-times the limit of 80 milligrams.

Ms Walters said Brooks, 65, was previously convicted of drink-driving in 2017, making this the second conviction of its kind in a decade.

Defendant consumed alcohol after collision

Kevin Blount, defending, told the court Brooks lives at the end of a private drive, parts of which are crossed by a public footpath.

Due to this, the driveway is legally considered a public place.

Mr Blount said Brooks took her bins out to be collected that morning. They are collected at the end of the drive, which is around a mile long, so Brooks decided to drive the bins down to where they are collected.

On the way back, Brooks “had an accident” and her car ended up in a nearby field.

The vehicle flipped upside down and Brooks was trapped in the car for some time.

The court heard members of the public who live nearby saw the vehicle and came to help Brooks, who claimed she was not over the drink-drive limit at the time of driving.

Instead, Mr Blount said, there was a bottle of vodka in the car at the time, which Brooks claimed she drank after the collision had occurred.

Despite this, a bench of magistrates found Brooks guilty of drink-driving, meaning she had driven whilst over the legal limit, on August 14.

The court was told Brooks has struggled with alcohol misuse for some time, but, following the collision, sought help at a rehabilitation centre in Ibiza.

The defendant, who was visibly upset in court, has now been sober for over a year and is still actively accessing support.

Brooks was banned from driving for 52 months and handed a 12-month community order, during which she must complete up to 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

She was also ordered to pay a total of £5,534 to the court, which comprises a £4,800 fine, a £114 surcharge and £620 in prosecution costs.