A Dunmow woman who crashed her car while three-times the drink-drive limit had her child in the car with her.

Lindsey Burley, of Perry Road, Flitch Green, pulled out into the path of a silver Volkswagen Golf while entering Braintree Road in Felsted at 12.30pm on April 16.

Police were called to the scene and Burley, 42, gave a positive roadside breath test. A later test at a police station recorded 111mcg of alcohol in 100ml breath – the legal limit is 35mcg.

Burley admitted drink-driving during a hearing at Colchester Magistrates’ Court today, May 23.

Emma Howson, prosecuting, told the court Burley had drunk a bottle of brandy the night before, three-quarters of a bottle of wine that morning before driving her and her son to the park in her Volkswagen Passat, and drank more of the wine, which had been in the boot of the car after the collision.

Magistrates were told Burley had been convicted of drink-driving in 2005, and banned for 28 months.

Roger Brice, mitigating, said Burley had long been battling acute depression, which sometimes led to alcohol dependency.

He told the court Burley had lost her sales job as a result.

Mr Brice added that since the incident Burley was again seeking help for an alcohol addiction and other support services for her drinking.

Linda MacKenzie, chairwoman of the bench, said: “This is a high alcohol reading, and although your last offence was more than 10 years ago this offence is aggravated by that.”

Burley was given a year-long community order and must carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.

She was also banned from the road for 28 months, and ordered to pay £170 in court costs and the victim surcharge.