Rachel Johnston: Dunbar drink-driver crashed car and fled

Rachel Johnston lost control of her blue Renault as she travelled along the town’s Church Street and ploughed into the brick wall.

Johnston also struck several vehicles parked on the street during the incident at about 1.30am on March 28.

The 28-year-old then fled the scene but was picked up by police officers at her home after calls had been made to alert the authorities to the smashed car.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told that this was the second drink-drive incident Johnston has been involved recently and as a result she was told she would be banned for at least three years at her sentencing next month.

Fiscal depute Abbie McKearly told the court that police were informed of the collision and subsequently traced the owner of the vehicle to Johnston’s home at the town’s James Court.

The Renault was said to have suffered damage to the front of the car and the windscreen was also smashed.

'Underlying issue'

Officers attended at Johnston’s home to find two females inside the property and the constables were said to have “noticed she was intoxicated”.

Johnston was then taken to Livingston Police Station and was arrested at about 5.05am after giving the high reading.

Solicitor Mary Moultrie said that Johnston had “an underlying issue” with alcohol and was currently receiving help from a local organisation.

Sheriff Adrian Fraser acknowledged that Johnston had given “a very high reading” but said that he believed there was “clearly something behind this”.

The sheriff handed her an interim driving ban and deferred sentence to next month for social work reports and a restriction of liberty assessment to be prepared.

Johnston pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention and causing her vehicle to collide with a wall and parked vehicles, causing damage, at Church Street, Dunbar, on March 28.

She also admitted driving a vehicle with 113mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 22mg.