On-duty female police officer, 38, who was found ‘slumped behind the wheel of her patrol car clutching a bottle of wine’ was ‘more than three times the drink-drive limit’
- Helen Kane, 38, was stopped on Waggs Lane in Wickham on 3 November 2021
- The officer gave reading of 117 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath
- When caught, Kane could be seen ‘slumped’ with wine bottle between her legs
- The Northumbria Police officer denies charge of misconduct in a public office
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A female police officer who was found to be more than three times over the alcohol limit whilst on duty was ‘slumped’ behind the wheel holding a bottle of wine, a trial has heard.
Helen Kane, 38, was stopped in a car on Waggs Lane in Wickham, Gateshead, on November 3 last year after a dog walker found her behind the wheel of a parked police car.
The Northumbria Police officer gave a reading of 117 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – over three time the the legal limit of 35.
Helen Kane, 38, was stopped on Waggs Lane in Wickham, Gateshead, on November 3 last year after a dog walker found her behind the wheel of a parked police car
The marked vehicle was seen around lunchtime parked with its engine still running.
When the member of the public looked inside the car, Kane could be seen ‘slumped’ against the driver side of the car with a bottle of wine between her legs, Teesside Crown Court heard.
On Thursday, Kane, of Belmont, County Durham, appeared at the court for a trial charged with misconduct in a public office. She denies the charge.
After a jury of 12 people were sworn in, Robin Turton, prosecuting, said Kane was an on duty police officer while under the influence of alcohol.
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He said: ‘At around lunchtime, a woman was walking her dog along her usual route on Waggs Lane, Whickham, when she saw a police car parked in the middle of the road.
Helen Kane (pictured outside Teesside Magistrates’ Court) was stopped on Waggs Lane in Wickham, Gateshead, on November 3 last year
‘The engine was running and it looked odd. She looked in and could see the driver was slumped against the seat belt of the driver’s side of the car. She had concerns about the welfare of the driver and banged on the window.’
Mr Turton added: ‘After several bangs, the female police officer’s head raised up and she wound down the window and had a brief conversation.
‘The officer said she was alright, but when she was told she was parked in the middle of the road, she said: “Am I?”.
‘Between her legs was a brown wine bottle. When the member of the public was satisfied the driver was OK, she walked off but took a photograph of the police vehicle and phoned 999.’
When the member of the public looked inside the car, Kane could be seen ‘slumped’ against the driver side of the car with a bottle of wine between her legs, Teesside Crown Court (pictured) heard
The jury heard that Kane was then taken to Southwick Police Station in Sunderland where she was breath tested and gave a reading of 117 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath.
The legal limit is 35 micrograms, with Mr Turton saying Kane was just over three times the limit.
The trial is expected to last around two days, with witnesses set to begin giving evidence on Friday morning. The trial continues.
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