Drunk barmaid, 18, who ploughed into lamppost is banned from driving

Drunk barmaid, 18, who ploughed into lamppost moments after leaving party where she’d knocked back lager is banned from driving for 18 months

Caitlin Luckett, 18, was more than twice over the alcohol limit when she crashed

A barmaid has been banned from driving for 18 months after she ploughed into a lamppost moments after leaving her friend’s 18th birthday party.

Caitlin Luckett, 18, who only passed her driving test last year was more than twice over the alcohol limit when she crashed.

At Sefton magistrates court, Luckett, who lives in Meols Cop, Southport, Merseyside admitted drink driving and was also fined £250 with £220 in costs and a victim surcharge.

Police arrived at the scene near the rugby club to find a crowd around the youngster’s vehicle, before she stepped forward to admit she was the driver.

Lucket, who works at a local Wetherspoons bar, was fined £250 with £220 in costs and a victim surcharge in addition to the driving ban.

Caitlin Luckett(pictured), 18, who lives in Meols Cop, Southport, Merseyside, has been banned from driving for 18 months and fined £250 with £220 in costs and a victim surcharge

Luckett who only passed her driving test last year was more than twice over the alcohol limit when she ploughed into a lamppost after leaving her friend’s 18th birthday party

The crash occurred at 10.45pm on July 7 moments after Luckett jumped behind the wheel of her Vauxhall Corsa having earlier knocked back lager with friends at the private party being held at Southport rugby club.

Lisa McGuire, prosecuting, said: ‘The white Corsa collided with a lamppost and on arrival at the scene, police enquired of the driver, now known as the defendant. The officer could smell intoxicants on her breath and he requested a roadside breath test which came back as a fail.

‘The defendant was subsequently cautioned and arrested. She was conveyed to a local custody suite. While on route she stated, “I was driving alone before I crashed into a lamp post”.

‘At the custody suite she provided an evidential breath sample and in interview, the defendant provided full and frank admissions to the offence. With regard to previous convictions, the defendant has none.’

Tests showed Luckett had 86 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit being 35mg. Her solicitor Rory McCormack said: ‘The defendant accepts that it was an aggravating feature that she struck a lamppost.

‘But what I ought to make clear is that when police arrived at the scene there were a number of people around this accident and police were inquiring who the driver was.

‘The defendant immediately went up to the police and admitted that she was the driver and she should be given credit for that. She also made full and frank admissions in police interview.

‘She does not make any excuses at all. She had been to a party at the rugby club and decided to drive home. She turned left and very shortly after that came into a collision with the lamp post.

‘I would urge the court to impose the lowest disqualification you feel appropriate and I ask for her to be given the opportunity to go on the drink driving course.’

JPs agreed to offer Luckett a place on a drink driving awareness course to reduce her ban. But chairman Angela McIntyre said: ‘The bench is not impressed with your conduct of this night.

‘We appreciate that you were forthcoming with police but two of this bench know where Waterloo Road is and where the rugby club is. You have not travelled far and crashed into the lamppost. We can only be thankful that no one was injured.’

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