A DRINK driver crashed her car when she reached the ‘end of her tether’ with a man who began exhibiting strange behaviour including wearing a thong in the house.

Suzanne Campbell, now staying at the YMCA in Worcester, was more than two and a half times the limit when she crashed her blue Nissan Micra into a barrier in Davies Road, Evesham during the incident at around 2pm on Sunday, November 17.

She blamed the drinking on personal financial problems which had left her homeless and the odd behaviour of a man who put her up.

The 57-year-old admitted drink driving when she appeared before district judge Nigel Cadbury at Worcester Magistrates Court on Friday.

A breath test revealed 90mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath.

Jackie Rogers, prosecuting, said police were alerted by a member of the public who became concerned about the manner of Campbell’s driving.

Mrs Rogers said: “The vehicle was seen colliding with kerbs, driving across the white central lines in the road and colliding with the barrier of the Co-op supermarket car park. When the vehicle stopped there was smoke coming from it and there was quite a bit of damage to the vehicle. When the witness spoke to the driver there was a very strong smell of alcohol. The keys were removed from the ignition by members of the public and the police were called.”

Mrs Rogers said the witness had been concerned for both the driver and other road users. “It was the worst type of driving she (the witness) had ever seen,” Mrs Rogers said.

Campbell had a full clean driving licence at the time of the offence.

Campbell, who represented herself at the hearing, said: “I have had a lot of things happening in my life this year.” She said she had received a repossession order in relation to her home but had managed to sell the property ‘just in time’. She told the court she worked as an agency care worker but had not been able to keep up with mortgage payments. Campbell said she was then homeless but a man said she could stay at his home.

Campbell said: “I got very concerned about his behaviour. I had never got in a car with drink inside me. Everything just came to a head.  I got concerned about my safety. I bought a bottle of wine that day and put my head in my hands and thought ‘I just don’t want to go back there’. I didn’t know what I was going to do. I just got to the end of my tether.”

She told the court she had no income but did have savings and planned to use the money to pay rent.

District judge Nigel Cadbury said: “It’s quite a high reading and there was an accident which is an aggravating feature.” Mr Cadbury disqualified her from driving for 24 months. She will be entitled to a 24 week reduction in the length of the ban if she completes an awareness course. Campbell was also fined £500 and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £50. She must complete the course by April 6. 2016 if she is to receive the benefit of the reduced ban.