Mansfield mum drunk at wheel with cocaine

Tina Bower’s car was stopped on Sherwood Hall Road, Mansfield, at 11.30am, on February 13, after she was spotted passing a clear bag to another customer in the Ravensdale pub.

A test showed she had 44 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath when the legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

The court heard she was banned for drink driving, in July 2015, and caught driving while disqualified in September, last year.

Bower, 45, of Winster Way, admitted driving with excess alcohol, without insurance, a valid MOT and while banned, when she appeared as Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Thursday.

Greta Percival, of the probation service, said Bower admitted she had a drink problem and used cocaine with friends about twice a month, but had recently sought help.

She suffered from anxiety and depression and was also seeking help because of problems with her partner’s controlling behaviour.

One of her children has learning difficulties and another has autism, said Ms Percival, so she faced significant personal difficulties.

Sarah Sanderson, mitigating, said: “At the moment her coping strategy has been going out and taking drugs. She knows where that behaviour will end up.

“She is extremely disappointed with herself.”

District judge Andrew Meachin said: “You have put yourself in a position where the court has no choice but to say you have crossed the custody threshold.”

He gave her a 16 week sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered her to carry out ten days of rehabilitation and attend a thinking skills course.

She was banned from driving for three years and fined £120 for possession of the drugs. She must also pay a £115 victim surcharge and £85 costs.