A TRAINEE nurse said she felt “exposed and suffering from indignity” after her skirt flew up when she was arrested for tailgating while twice the drink-drive limit.
Mum-of-one Nicola Daniels, 32, was stopped by cops just before midnight on Saturday December 21 when an officer saw her tailgating another vehicle in her Mini Cooper in Bolton town centre.
A court heard Daniels tried to evade the police and turned into a dark car park where she switched off her lights.
Martha Dowd, prosecuting, said an officer approached her car and could smell alcohol on her.
Daniels told police she had consumed alcohol “about three hours ago”.
The 32-year-old then failed a roadside breath test and a subsequent reading showed she was over double the drink-drive limit.
She blew a reading of 76 microgrammes – the legal limit is 35.
Ms Dowd told Manchester Magistrates’ Court: “The defendant was then arrested for driving with excess alcohol and she became aggressive and abusive towards police officers.
“She was escorted to a police vehicle but then attempted to pull free.
“She was taken to a custody suite and asked to provide a further reading.
“The first reading she gave was small and was not enough and it was explained to her that she would have to provide another reading.
“She failed to provide it and failed the attempt. She stated she was not doing it on purpose but the second time she failed to blow an adequate amount.
“She was obstructive to officers and it was explained to her the impact of failing to provide the test.”
Daniels was also found to have no insurance on the car.
Rahil Khan, defending, said Daniels, who had no previous convictions, had been unable to insure her Mini because “it was the Christmas period”.
He said she was at her mum’s house when she decided to drive the “short distance” home but was stopped by the police.
“When she was detained, she was wearing a short skirt and boots”, Mr Khan added.
“The short skirt flew up and she felt exposed in front of the four police officers.
“She was placed in handcuffs and was suffering from that indignity.”
Mr Khan said Daniels was then taken to the police station where she became “emotional” and began to hyperventilate.
He said it was not a “deliberate refusal” to provide the test on her part.
He added: “She regrets her conduct completely. She no longer works as she is enrolled on a three-year nursing degree and is the sole carer of her son.”
Daniels, from Bolton, pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen for analysis and driving without insurance.
She was sentenced to a 14-month driving disqualification.
She was also fined £180 and made to pay court costs of £117.
