A 52-YEAR-OLD woman who drove to a supermarket after consuming alcohol has been banned from the roads and fined by the courts.

Karen Towers, of Gerrard Drive, Weaverham, attended Tesco in Northwich Road just before 11pm on March 24.

Chester Magistrates’ Court heard how police officers were called after Towers went into the store to buy alcohol and staff noticed she already seemed to be intoxicated.

Police then attended Towers’ address where she gave a reading of 76 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – the legal limit is 35.

In mitigation, the court heard how Towers showed genuine remorse for the incident and the level of alcohol in her system could have been heightened by certain medication she is taking.

The court was also told she is the primary carer of her mum, so a driving disqualification would impact this.

After considering the facts, magistrates disqualified Towers from driving for 17 months during a hearing on April 12.

They fined her £280 and she was also ordered to pay £85 in court costs and a £34 surcharge.