AN Edinburgh hospital worker was caught nine times over the drink drive limit after claiming she had only had three pints of lager.
Celia Broadhurst got behind the wheel of her car after indulging in an afternoon drinking session with pal who was making a surprise visit from London.
Broadhurst, a care coordinator at Liberton Hospital, was spotted by passing motorists as she weaved all over the road as she made her way home.
Police were called in and after officers arrived at her house in Lasswade, Midlothian, the NHS employee tried to blame the high reading on having just drunk three pints.
Yesterday astonished Sheriff Gordon Liddle told Broadhurst, 34, that “it was a surprise you were actually conscious, let alone able to drive" after last month's drinking session.
He added: "You could easily have found yourself in the High Court facing a period, probably into double figures, of imprisonment having killed someone.
“You already know this is a reading that is rarely found in this court."
“It is at the very extreme end of readings." and I have already said I am surprised you were able to function Repeating his concern he was surprised she could drive,"let alone control a lethal weapon you were in charge of," he added: “You could have destroyed your own family and destroyed other people’s families.”
Broadhurst, who had previously pleaded guilty to driving with 196mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, broke down in the dock as she was sentenced.
Broadhurst was banned from driving for 24 months and told to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work within nine months.
The legal limit is 22mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath in Scotland.
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