Seriously-ill crash motorist was nearly four times the drink-drive limit

A crash drink-driver was caught with a bottle of vodka in her car just a day after she had been released from hospital following tests for a serious medical condition.
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Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Thursday, September 13, how Kim Scaife, 39, of Netherfield Close, Matlock, collided with a car on Somersall Lane, at Chesterfield, and was found to be over the legal drink-drive limit by police.

Prosecuting solicitor Emma Price said: “The owner of the other vehicle saw the defendant driving a Mini Cooper across both lanes before colliding with his vehicle and it stopped off the road.”

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Mrs Price added that police attended and the defendant looked nervous and she was swaying and looked as though she was falling asleep.

Drink-driving breathalyser.Drink-driving breathalyser.
Drink-driving breathalyser.

Scaife was also spotted by police, according to Mrs Price, messing with something on the back seat of her vehicle which turned out to be a bottle of vodka.

The defendant registered 138 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, when the legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

She pleaded guilty to exceeding the alcohol drink-drive limit and also admitted driving without insurance after the incident on August 24.

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Scaife told police she had driven to Chesterfield town centre to drop-off her partner and she bought a big bottle of vodka and she took two large gulps of the drink.

Chesterfield magistrates' court.Chesterfield magistrates' court.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.

She added that she had seen a bird in the road and skidded and collided with another car.

The defendant also told police that she thought her car had been insured through an ex-partner.

Defence solicitor Steve Brint said Scaife has medical and mental health issues and that she had been in hospital for five months and had been undergoing tests for a serious condition.

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Mr Brint added that Scaife had been told to prepare for a diagnosis and she had gone home expecting very bad news.

Scaife consumed a lot of alcohol on August 23, according to Mr Brint, and on the day of the collision on August 24 she had purchased a litre bottle of vodka.

The court heard Scaife is still subject to a suspended prison sentence for possessing an offensive weapon in public and she also has a previous conviction for shoplifting.

Magistrates committed Scaife’s case for a further hearing at Derby Crown Court on October 11 when she is expected to be sentenced.

They also imposed an interim disqualification from driving but released the defendant on unconditional bail.