News Teacher's boozy car ride
A teacher has been suspended after she was caught drink-driving at her school.
Judith Mary Blackburn was almost twice over the legal drink-drive limit when she drove to Swinefleet Primary School, town magistrates were told.
The court heard that when Mrs Blackburn arrived at school on February 25 this year, headmaster Peter Gibson became suspicious after smelling alcohol on her breath and noticing that she was slurring her words.
The two teachers had an argument and Mr Gibson told Mrs Blackburn not to leave the premises because he did not think she was fit to drive.
He then shut the school gates so she could not get out but Ms Blackburn still tried to reverse out of the school premises.
She was prevented form doing so by the school gates and then Mr Gibson called the school's administraton officer for assistance. The officer took Mrs Blackburn to a room inside the school and police were called. Officers asked Mrs Blackburn for a roadside breath sample but she refused and was arrested.
The fifty-five-year-old was taken to Beverley Police Station, where she gave a positive breath test, whose lower reading was 69 mcg of alcohol in 100mls of breath. The legal limit for a driver is 35 mcg.
This week Mrs Blackburn appeared at Goole Magistrates' Court, where she admitted driving while over the limit.
Magistrates gave her a 12-month driving ban. The court was told that Mrs Blackburn - who has taught at the Swinefleet school for more than 20 years - had drunk half a bottle of gin with tonic the night before she was caught drink-driving in her silver Toyota. The incident happened at the Low Street school on February 25 this year.
Mrs Julie Laverack-Glanville, prosecuting, said Mrs Blackburn had the argument with Mr Gibson at about 8.50am.
During a police interview Mrs Blackburn said she had overslept after drinking the gin-and-tonic.
She had woken up in the early hours of the morning and fell asleep again, then slept through her alarm. She claimed that when she drove from her home in Westwoodside, she felt fit to drive.
Graham Pressler, defending, said it was "the saddest case I have ever come across in the whole of my career".
He said Mrs Blackburn - who admitted having a drink problem - had dedicated 34 years of her life to the teaching profession and had been at the Swinefleet school for 22 years.
"She has given her life to the children that she's taught," added Mr Pressler.
He said Mrs Blackburn had a long-standing drink problem which had been brought on by "stress and anguish" during her career.
"She had enjoyed a drink but it became too much," he added.
Mr Pressler said Mrs Blackburn had resolved to seek professional help for her drink problem but one night before school she had opened a large bottle of gin.
She woke up in her armchair in the early hours of the morning and was "surprised" to find she had drunk half a bottle.
"She presumed she had slept it off and she felt fine," said Mr Pressler. "It's only when she got to school and there was a disagreement with the head teacher that police were called."
He added that Mrs Blackburn refused the roadside breath test because she did not understand her rights.
Mr Pressler said it was "tragic" that, because of this one lapse, Mrs Blackburn was now "looking into the abyss" and faced losing her job.
"She's been hung out to dry by a system that she's served so well," said Mr Pressler.
As well as the year-long driving ban, magistrates fined Mrs Blackburn £150 and ordered her to pay £55 prosecution costs.
She was also made to pay a £15 victim surcharge and offered a place on a drink-drive rehabilitation course.
It is understood that Mrs Blackburn, of Cove Road, Westwoodside, is also facing an allegation of gross misconduct by the education authority. A spokeswoman for the East Riding of Yorkshire Council said Mrs Blackburn was "currently suspended pending a full investigation".
Published on 13th March 2008 in News.
Add to: Digg | del.icio.us | Reddit
Comments
There are currently no comments
Comment
All comments are subject to moderation (during normal office hours) and may be amended.
Email addresses are required for administration purposes only.
By contributing your comments, you accept our terms and conditions.