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  • Maureen Oakden hit with a £1,000 court bill after she admitted to drink-driving 

A drink-driving pensioner who crashed her car after boozing on wine before walking home has been spared jail.

Maureen Oakden, 73, had been ‘struggling’ with retirement before she crashed her Volkswagen T Cross in the Tushingham area of Cheshire at around 8pm on February 3.

Chester Magistrates’ Court heard she ‘looked confused’ as she got ‘out of the car and walked’ away from the scene of the crash.

The police eventually found the retired businesswoman that same night and performed a breathalyzer test which showed she had 83 micrograms of alcohol per 100 mililitres of breath – more than double the legal limit of 35 mg.

The court heard, Ms Oakden had been ‘struggling’ with retirement after being an active member of her village community, running her own bistro and helping organize an arts festival. 

Maureen Oakden, 73, had been 'struggling' with retirement after a busy work life, Chester Magistrates' Court heard

Maureen Oakden, 73, had been ‘struggling’ with retirement after a busy work life, Chester Magistrates’ Court heard

The 73-year-old had run her own bistro and helped organise a local arts festival before she retired

The 73-year-old had run her own bistro and helped organise a local arts festival before she retired  

Ms Oakden pictured outside Chester Magistrates' Court

Ms Oakden pictured outside Chester Magistrates’ Court

She also been worked as a yoga and ‘mindfulness’ teacher and was a business development manager at AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals.

Ms Oakden admitted to drink-driving and was fined £692, ordered to pay £399 in costs and surcharge and banned her from driving for 20 month, at Chester Magistrates’ Court.

Miss Lisa McGuire, prosecuting, said: ‘Police received a 999 call form a member of the public which stated that there had been a road traffic collision on the A41 in the Tushingham area.

‘The reporting person stated that the female driver had gotten out of the car and just walked off. The reporting person also said the driver looked confused. Officers attended the scene and on arrival spoke to Michael Oakden, the defendant’s son.

‘When asked about the driver Mr Oakden stated that, “As far as I’m aware, she went up to the Ridings”.’

Miss McGuire said that Mr Oakden informed police that his mother was the driver and added: ‘Police went to the Ridings and met with the defendant. They requested a roadside breath test and she was cautioned and arrested and conveyed to a local custody suite.

‘The defendant appears with no previous convictions. The offence is aggravated because the defendant was involved in a road traffic collision and made away from the scene.’

In mitigation Oakden’s lawyer Catherine Higham said: ‘She is a lady of 73 who has managed to reach that age without any previous convictions. This is a blip. This is evidenced by her lack of previous convictions.

‘She has been diagnosed with depression and is medicated for that. She has had a referral for counselling sessions and she is awaiting them. The ball is rolling on that front.

Ms Oakden admitted to drink-driving at Chester Magistrates' Court

Ms Oakden admitted to drink-driving at Chester Magistrates’ Court 

‘She is someone who had a very active life. She retired and when she retired she found a gap in her time, something that she was not quite prepared for. She is currently doing a university course in Egyptology, trying to keep active and manage her time effectively.

‘She has just struggled with the drop off in activity. This is a blip, something that has never happened before and won’t happen again.

‘It is accepted that the offence is aggravated by the road traffic collision but mitigated by her prompt guilty plea and her lack of previous convictions.’

JPs offered Oakden the opportunity to reduce the ban by a quarter if she takes the drink drive awareness course.

Chairman Charles Platt said: ‘We have listened to what has been said. We note that this is very much a blip on your life record.

‘However, drink-driving is drink-driving. It is a serious matter. You must not drive on any road or public place from this day forward. 

‘If you were found doing so it is a serious offence for which you could receive a custodial sentence.’

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This post first appeared on Daily mail

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