She told officers she’d drunk half a bottle of rum the night before

A woman caught driving while “double the limit from the night before” has been banned from driving for almost two years.

Victoria North. 34, was arrested in Lincoln Road, Deeping Gate, near Peterborough, after she drove her white van into the back of a Vauxhall Corsa at just after 8am on 3 April.

A Cambs Police spokesperson explained: “She was found to be almost three times the legal limit at the roadside and gave a reading of 76 in custody – the legal limit being 35.

“North, of Meadway, Market Deeping, told officers the last drink she’d had was half a bottle of rum the night before.”

She was handed a 20-month driving ban and a £69 fine after she admitted drink driving at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Friday (16 May).

PC William Horsfield, who investigated, said: “Despite having not had a drink for quite a few hours, North still had high alcohol levels in her system which affected her ability to concentrate and react.

“It is important to give a suitable amount of time to allow for alcohol to leave your system or arrange an alternative mode of transport.”

Cambridgeshire Constabulary operates a dedicated, confidential hotline – 0800 032 0845 – which is available 24/7 and allows the public to report concerns about someone believed to be driving under the influence of drink or drugs.

Information about drink driving, the law and the penalties, can be found on the force’s dedicated road safety information webpages.