Consume-driving Virgin Airlines hostess who crashed at McDonald’s is temporarily banned from driving

A Virgin Airlines air hostess caught drink-driving at a McDonalds drive-through has walked cost-free from courtroom right after blaming her offence on ‘naked human frailty’ thanks to becoming in a toxic romance.

Samantha Sutcliffe, 38, drank white wine then crashed her BMW into a bollard even though obtaining a lunch time BigMac food early in November- testing as virtually two and a half moments about the alcohol restrict.

When quizzed about her 1.15pm arrest, the mom-of-1 from Scarisbrick around Ormskirk, Lancashire, told law enforcement: ‘I did not feel I was in excess of the restrict but clearly I was.’

Her solicitor later claimed she experienced been at a ‘low ebb’ from coming out of an abusive romance which has given that ended.

Samantha Sutcliffe, 38, tested as virtually two and a 50 % occasions above the liquor restrict next her crash into a bollard even though purchasing a lunch time BigMac food in Southport in the course of November

At Sefton magistrates courtroom, Lionel Cope, prosecuting, explained: ‘The incident took location on November 1 when Skip Sutcliffe was driving a white BMW in the Kew place of Southport.

‘She attended a McDonalds cafe drive through and on ordering the foodstuff the employees assumed she may have been less than the affect.

‘Police had been contacted and on arrival officers imagined she appeared to be beneath the influence of liquor.’

Mr Cope said that Sutcliffe’s examination success showed that she experienced 86 micrograms of liquor in 100 millilitres of breath.

The lawful alcohol limit for driving is 35mg.

Mr Cope continued: ‘In interview, she admitted the offence. She mentioned, “I did not think I was above the restrict but evidently I was”.

‘Damage was caused when driving into a bollard or railings. She has no past convictions.’

Sutcliffe’s solicitor said that prior to the incident she experienced ‘drank quite steadily above the weekend, was having difficulties to rest and described herself as becoming at complete rock bottom’

Solicitor Frank Rogers, symbolizing Sutcliffe, claimed: ‘It was not deliberate recklessness. It was bare human frailty. A female emerging from a difficult relationship, hitting rock bottom and facing up to the truth of her problem but who in each other respect is a woman of superior character.’   

‘This is a woman of hitherto impeccable character. She is a single mother or father, juggling entire-time and element-time careers and coming out of an abusive marriage.

‘The weekend had introduced her to an all-time reduced ebb. She said she was at rock bottom. Acquiring been consuming for a though about the weekend she made a improper judgement call deciding to drive.’

Mr Rogers said that her driving record prior to the incident was ‘immaculate’ and she experienced owned a licence for 21 decades with no dashing offences and bans. 

He claimed that the incident was ‘out of character’ for Sutcliffe as a end result.

Mr Rogers ongoing: ‘She is a very long-haul air steward for Virgin Airways. She works unsocial hours. She will work so quite a few times on and then has 7 days off. 

‘The loss of her driving license, which is of training course inevitable, will make receiving to perform in Manchester unbelievably tricky since of the hours for traveling and also because she has to get from Scarisbrick to Liverpool and then to Manchester.

‘The reliability of trains, irrespective of the strikes, is not terrific. So, the work is in the harmony but she’s asked Virgin to change her rota and they have been incredibly supportive.’

Sutcliffe was fined £300, purchased to fork out charges and a £240 target surcharge at court docket

Mr Rogers referred to character references, together with from a catering enterprise that Sutcliffe started out functioning for for the duration of the pandemic, and which she carries on to assist section time.

He continued: ‘They are eager to maintain her on and in some way get the job done about the ban.

‘I feel those references speak volumes. She had been in a violent and abusive managing marriage for about a 12 months which ended immediately after this incident.

‘She was emotionally at rock bottom. Her and some friends and her son experienced been abroad on vacation. On return the son went to remain with his father so she was at home on her personal.

‘Coming back again to the reality and to encounter the relationship she left powering, she could not cope. She drank fairly steadily over the weekend, was battling to rest and explained herself as staying at absolute rock bottom.

‘She experienced two glasses of wine and tried to buy some food items but was unsuccessful. Foolishly, she resolved to generate the brief distance which she could’ve walked. She ordered the rapid food stuff. She drove all-around the bend, misjudged that, and strike the bollard.’

Mr Rogers also defined that Sutcliffe was searching for skilled aid for her issues. 

He additional: ‘There is confirmation from the assistant supervisor at McDonalds that there had previously been some hurt there.

‘Police explain her as serene and compliant, so there is a whole lot to be stated for her.’

Sutcliffe admitted to drink-driving and was fined £300, requested to pay out expenses and a sufferer surcharge of £240. 

She has also been banned from driving for 17 months but available the option to acquire the consume drive awareness training course which will lower this ban by a quarter.

Mr Rogers asked that the court docket good her rather than sentence her to neighborhood get, he mentioned she earns £1,200 per thirty day period net and added that there was no alcohol dependency prior to this episode.

He also mentioned that she went to McDonald’s the working day soon after the incident to apologise for what transpired and present payment for any damage induced.

He added: ‘She is aware of she will pay back a significant cost. She is ashamed and remorseful. She is aware of that she has let herself and her 13-yr-old son down.’