A TEACHER who drove towards a pedestrian in Chard leaving her so afraid she scooped up her dog fearing they would be struck, has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Caitlin Crisp had been drinking when the terrified witness saw her at the wheel of her car driving erratically along the road towards her and veering from hedge to hedge.

The vehicle came to a halt and when the witness went to speak to her she was talking on her phone and then slumped over in her seat.

When the police arrived, and they managed to rouse the defendant she was breathalysed and found to be nearly four times over the drink drive limit.

Crisp, 54, of High Street, West Coker, pleaded guilty to driving a vehicle on Avishayes Road in Chard on July 8 after consuming excess alcohol when she appeared in court at Yeovil.

The witness was walking her dog down the single-track lane at 8.45am when she heard a car behind her.

“She saw a vehicle coming towards her which was being driven erratically and driving into the hedges causing her to feel concerned and she picked her dog up and got as far out of the road as she could,” said prosecutor Emma Lenanton.

“The vehicle stopped, and the female driver appeared to be talking to someone on her phone, so the witness asked Crisp if she was ok, but she then slumped into her seat.”

She spoke to the person on the phone who was the defendant’s husband and the witness said she was going to call the police.

When an officer arrived Crisp appeared to be asleep but her woke her up and she was slurring her words. When he asked if she had been drinking she said she had been and she failed a roadside breath test.

After being arrested the defendant was taken into custody where a further test revealed a reading of 132mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, the legal limit is 35mcg of alcohol, and when interviewed she remained silent.

Simon Collingham, defending, said that Crisp argued with her husband the night before, consumed some rum and then drove in the morning unaware of the time.

“She wants to express her remorse and regret to the court and is utterly ashamed of her behaviour,” he said.

He said she had worked in the educational system but was signed off work due to a school restructure. She then started using alcohol to cope with anxiety and depression.

She changed jobs but then got caught in the spiral of self-medication and now had new employment which she really enjoyed.

“This is a woman who is highly regarded,” added Mr Collingham.

District Judge Angela Brereton said: “This was more luck than judgement that something serious did not arise out of this incident and there is evidence of erratic driving and a high reading.

“However your references are glowing, and I accept this was a one-off isolated incident.”

She sentenced Crisp to 10 weeks in custody, suspended for 12 months and ordered her to carry out 120 hours unpaid work and complete 10 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days.

She also banned her from driving for 32 months and ordered her to pay a £128 victim surcharge and £85 costs.