Meg Mathews banned from roads for drink-driving after e-book launch
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ritpop determine Meg Mathews has been banned from the roads for drink-driving after crashing her automobile following a e-book signing whereas greater than twice the restrict.
The 57-year-old appeared earlier than Cornwall Magistrates’ Court in Bodmin on Friday following the incident in Newquay earlier this month.
The courtroom heard the previous music PR govt had a “couple of drinks” at a e-book launch on the night of July 7 and after the occasion deliberate to remain at a good friend’s home close by.
The good friend wished to see Mathews’s new Jeep Wrangler automobile, so Mathews went for a drive – however very quickly collided with a parked automobile in Stret Ewyn, Nansledan – inflicting minor injury.
The proprietor of the automobile referred to as police at round 9.15pm and Mathews failed a roadside breath take a look at and was arrested.
Magistrates had been instructed her studying was 77mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath – with the authorized restrict being 35mg.
Mathews, of Hilgrove Mews, Newquay, appeared in courtroom by videolink and pleaded responsible to a cost of driving a motorized vehicle with an alcohol degree above the restrict.
She spoke solely to substantiate her identify, date of start and deal with throughout the brief listening to.
Steven Cox, defending, mentioned Mathews was of earlier good character and had pleaded responsible on the earliest alternative.
“She was at a book signing and a number of people turned up,” he mentioned.
“It was the first time she had spoken publicly for a number of years and she was quite nervous, and they offered her a couple of drinks.
“Unfortunately, those drinks were not pub-level drinks and were not measured properly and they had a lot more alcohol in them than she originally thought.
“At the end of the evening she attempts to stay at her friend’s house, which is literally just round the corner from where they were.
“Her friend asked to see her car first because it is a new car, and she hadn’t seen it. They went round to look at the vehicle and it was at that point she made the stupid decision to drive.
“She said she reached the first bend and that’s where she clipped the car causing minor damage, scrapes, there’s no serious body damage.
“She stopped immediately, and the owner of the vehicle came out who had called the police. She was exchanging details when the police arrived.
“They arrived, she blew over the limit and was arrested and taken into custody.
“Unfortunately, some of the things that have been in the papers about her rolling on the ground and about her shouting never actually happened. It was a very simple drink-driving matter.
“She was at the police station and she was upset because people at the scene were taking photos of her and she knew this would probably end up in the press.
“She says she wants to extend her gratitude to the police officers who helped her get calm, got her a drink and helped her relax.
“She said to me, ‘I take full responsibility and accountability for what I did, and I want to end by apologising again for you having to hear this case due to my bad judgment. I will never do this again’.”
The courtroom heard Mathews has “no actual salary” however would be capable of pay any tremendous and prices inside 14 days, and needs to finish the drink-driving rehabilitation course.
Magistrates banned Mathews from driving for 20 months, fined her £440 and ordered her to pay a £176 surcharge and £85 prosecution prices.
“You would have been fined £660 but because of your early guilty plea we have given you full credit,” presiding justice Paul Shenton mentioned.
“You will be disqualified from driving for a period of 20 months. There were two aggravating factors in relation to this offence and they were that you were carrying a passenger and you collided with another vehicle.
“We have taken into account that you are of previous good character, and we feel 20 months is the correct period of disqualification for this offence.”
If Mathews completes a drink-driving rehabilitation course, her driving ban shall be lowered by 20 weeks.
During the Nineties she was one of the recognisable faces throughout the Britpop period and was beforehand married to former Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher.