A SOZZLED businesswoman caught drink-driving claimed she was trying to flee a mystery man who spooked her while she ate a Big Mac. Helena Monk, 27, stopped on a side road to tuck into a McDonald’s feast after a night out with pals. But she claimed she panicked when she spotted a man walking towards […]
A SOZZLED businesswoman caught drink-driving claimed she was trying to flee a mystery man who spooked her while she ate a Big Mac.
Helena Monk, 27, stopped on a side road to tuck into a McDonald’s feast after a night out with pals.
But she claimed she panicked when she spotted a man walking towards her pink Fiat 500 – causing her to attempt to flee.
Police stopped her after she was seen swerving around the carriageway with an internal light still switched on.
A breathalyser test revealed she had 69 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – almost twice the legal limit of 35 micrograms.
Monk applied for a “special reasons” hearing where drink drivers can claim ”exceptional hardship” in an attempt to dodge a road ban.
But she later admitted drink driving and was banned from getting behind the wheel for 18 months.
Stockport Magistrates Court heard Monk had enjoyed a night out with her friends, eating dinner and drinking on July 15 last year.
The textiles designer and recruitment agent then pulled over at the Bulls Head pub to eat her McDonald’s before setting off again.
At around 11.10pm, police clocked her just ten miles from her £550,000 apartment in swanky Hale, near Altrincham in Greater Manchester.
Prosecutor Peter Conroy said: “A police constable on patrol described the defendant as swerving from side to side in the road.
“There was an internal light on in the car. The officer conducted checks in her number plate and used his emergency equipment to stop her.
”The defendant pulled over and he could smell alcohol on her breath and could tell she was intoxicated. She then failed a road side breath test and was arrested before being taken to Middlewich custody suite.
“She was compliant with police throughout. There were no other passengers in the car and conditions were good, it was late at night.”
Her lawyer James Street told the court Monk was pushed over the limit after having another drink when she dropped a pal home.
He claimed she only pulled over as it would be “difficult” to eat a burger while driving and felt “threatened” when she saw the man.
The lawyer added: “There was a reason as to why she was driving on that particular occasion but it was understandably a silly decision to drive and she will be punished for it.
“She normally works as a recruitment agent but due to lockdown, she is currently not in work. She is currently looking for a job as a recruitment agent. She is going to be much more limited in her ability now to find work after losing her license because of this.”
Monk was also ordered fine £120 and ordered to pay £180 costs plus a £34 victim surcharge.
