A teetotal teaching assistant who was caught drink-driving in her new Mercedes after she was ‘pressured’ into drinking alcohol has lost her job and her licence.
Ilayda Tomes, 27, of Wilmslow, Cheshire, claimed she had been ‘pressured’ into downing wine at a restaurant by her friends before she was stopped for drink-driving on August 13.
After leaving the restaurant, the former art historian said she had offered two men a lift home as she was concerned they might follow three women home, the court heard.
But police spotted her two-month-old silver C Class AMG vehicle clipping a kerb whilst being driven at 50mph in a 30mph zone.
Tomes, formerly of Antalya, Turkey, was stopped at the scene near her £800,000 home and found to be almost twice the alcohol limit.
Ilayda Tomes (pictured), 27, of Wilmslow, Cheshire, claimed she had been ‘pressured’ into downing wine by her friends before she was stopped for drink-driving on August 13
Tomes (pictured) was stopped by police near her £800,000 home after they spotted her clipping a kerb and tests found she was almost twice the alcohol limit
Tests showed Tomes, who does not drink for religious reasons, had 59 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – above the legal limit of 35mg.
Tomes, who helped assist special needs children at a school in Holmes Chapel, wept as she admitted driving with excess alcohol at Stockport Magistrates Court.
She was banned from driving for 16 months and fined £230 with £119 costs.
She was due to start a job as a teaching assistant on September 3 but lost the job after being arrested and is now working as a dental receptionist.
Tomes, who does not normally drink, claimed she was ‘pressured’ into drinking by her friends and she had two glasses of wine, the court heard.
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Her lawyer Stuart Thomson said: ‘She did not feel any different and thought she would be okay to drive. She felt no different than what she normally would.
‘She went to get into her vehicle when she saw two men and three women arguing physically and verbally.
‘She intervened because she is a previous victim of domestic violence and offered to give the males a lift, so they did not follow the three females.
Tomes, who does not normally drink for religious reasons, wept as she admitted driving with excess alcohol at Stockport Magistrates Court
Tomes was banned from driving for 16 months. She was due to start a job as a teaching assistant on but lost the job after being arrested and is now working as a dental receptionist
‘That is why she was driving at that speed. She had only driven around 0.4 miles. The only time she has drank previously was at her graduation some years ago. She has not drunk since this incident.’
Mr Thomson said she is remorseful and is ‘very unlikely to every drink again’, adding that she is of previous good character and had no previous convictions.
He added: ‘She is absolutely devastated and upset that she is here today.’
Prosecutor Gareth Hughes said: ‘At 3.50am on Aug 13 police were on patrol when they spotted a silver Mercedes. The police were stationary at the time but they saw this defendant turn onto a roundabout before clipping a kerb.
‘She was travelling at 50 mph in a 30 mph zone. Police pulled up along side the vehicle at a junction. They have then spoken to the driver and conducted a road side test where she has then given a positive reading.’
Sentencing JP Mayor Shah told Tomes: ‘It is your first time in court, do not worry, we are not going to lock you up.’
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