A MARCH mum caught drink driving as she went to collect her child from school has been jailed for 26 weeks.

Donna Finch - also a banned driver at the time - gave a breath test reading almost double the alcohol limit when police stopped her on November 19.

“She had been sleeping on the sofa after having something to drink; and she had to collect her child from school,” solicitor John Clarke explained to Fenland magistrates.

“She rushed out to the garage, and drove to collect her child. This is not some youth who got drunk, she is a middle aged lady where alcohol has become entrenched.”

Finch, 45, of Shaftesbury Avenue, March, had admitted drink driving, and driving while disqualified and without insurance, Those offences put her in breach of a 20=week suspended jail sentence she was given in October for offences including failing to give a breath test, assault and causing criminal damage. She was already subject to an alcohol treatment order.

The court heard how police used blue flashing lights to stop Finch after she was followed in Creek Road, St John’s Road and Station Road. Her breath test reading was 65 mcgs of alcohol in 100 mls of breath, almost double the limit of 35 mcgs.

The court activated 18 weeks of her suspended sentence, and gave her another eight week sentence for the latest offences.

Pleading for Finch’s freedom, Mr Clarke said: “If she goes to prison she will come out and will be in the same position as she was before.

“There is not doubt she has an alcohol problem; her alcohol treatment programme had not really started when she was caught driving while disqualified.”

Finch was given a new three year driving ban.