A DRINK driver was twice caught behind the wheel of a car, the first time just four days after being disqualified from driving.

Mother-of-three Michelle Holmes, 23, of Navigator Close, Trowbridge, had been banned from driving for 14 months on January 20 for drink driving, Chippenham magistrates heard.

Just four days later she was spotted driving a Rover 600 along County Way in Trowbridge but claimed she had not realised she had been banned. She was bailed but five months later, on June 15, was seen driving a Vauxhall Nova along Westcroft Street, Trowbridge, and police officers, who stopped her suspected she had been drinking.

A roadside breath test showed a reading of 86mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg. Holmes refused to take a second breath test at the police station and was charged with failure to provide a specimen of breath.

Anthony Bignall, defending, said: "Miss Holmes has been through a pretty rough time. She is a mother of three children and there is another one on the way. She told me she had gone off the rails and alcohol has been a part of that."

Ms Holmes admitted failure to provide a specimen, failure to surrender to police bail, two counts of driving whilst disqualified and driving with no insurance. The case was adjourned until August 1.

  • A young man told the court he had drank just one pint at a wake held for a friend killed in a car crash when he was found to be over the drink drive limit.

Russell Golden, 23, admitted he was at the wheel of a car in Westrop, Corsham, in the early hours of May 4 when it overturned. The court heard his boss's wife, Jenny Hudson, 33, had recently died and Golden had been upset by her death.

Golden was found to have 74mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath, a blood test later showed a reading of 117mg per 100ml of blood, the legal limit being 80mg.

Michael Wills, defending, said: "This is a sad case. This young man works with one colleague and a disqualification will mean they have to work together rather than increasing trade by working separately.

"Despite this Mr Hudson is willing to keep him on because he likes him and is pleased with his work." Magistrates heard Golden claimed he had drunk just one pint before driving but had then had several cans of lager after the accident, before police traced him to his home address.

He admitted drink driving and magistrates disqualified him from driving for 15 months, reduced to 12 months if he attends a rehabilitation course, fined £160 and ordered to pay costs of £53.

  • An 18-year-old from Steeple Ashton claimed his drink had been spiked before he was stopped in the Conigre, Trowbridge, Daniel Hobbs, of Newleaze, had 61mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath.

He pleaded guilty to drink driving and the case was adjourned until September 1.