Merriott woman crashed her car into a telegraph pole

Sam Jane Elliott drank three and a half pints while discussing her plans to run the London Marathon but had no recollection of what happened next until she was taken to hospital.

When she appeared before District Judge Angela Brereton at Yeovil her solicitor Joseph Wright said that she had intended to walk back to her parents’ home that night and had no idea why she drove or what caused her to go blank.

Elliott, 38, of Church Street, pleaded guilty to a charge of drink driving on Holloway Road, Lopen, on September 29 with a reading of nearly double the legal limit.

Prosecutor Ann Ellery said that a witness was in Lopen shortly after 1am when she heard a loud bang and saw the defendant trying to reverse her car.

“She was in a distressed state, crying and on the phone to a male and when the police attended they found she had crashed into a telegraph pole,” she said.

Elliott admitted driving and when breathalysed at the roadside gave a positive result. A further test revealed a reading of 62mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, the legal limit being 35mcg of alcohol.

Mr Wright said the incident occurred just a few days before Elliott successfully completed the London Marathon in aid of a children’s cancer charity.

“She is completely at a loss as to what happened that night when she left the pub after drinking three and a half pints,” he said.

“Thirty-five minutes later she had this bang and was found distressed and disorientated and wishes she could find out more.”

He said she had gone to extreme lengths to contact people at the pub and speak to friends to see if they could shed any light on the situation but had found no answers.

“She says she will always feel ashamed and embarrassed but is forever grateful that nobody was injured or worse,” he added.

The district judge banned Elliott from driving for 15 months and fined her £390 with a £156 victim surcharge and £85 costs.