Kentish Town grandmother’s bourbon bender ends in police chase

A 72-year-old Kentish Town grandmother went on a month-long bourbon bender and crashed her car in a police chase, a court heard.

Dorothy Clark was spotted by police after she left her home in Leighton Road in her car and reversed straight into a bollard, Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court heard on Friday (December 9).

The retired University College Hospital secretary then ignored the flashing blue lights of a pursuing police car until she crashed into a bollard in Camden Road.

When police questioned the grandmother she admitted having drunk strong lager with bourbon chasers every day for four weeks.

A breath test revealed Clark was nearly three times over the legal alcohol limit.

Defence counsel Anthony Lane said: “Mrs Clark runs herself into problems when she drinks and drives.

“She was in full-time work until she was 53. She was a secretary before she was made redundant and since then there has been a number of problems.

“Recent trauma and circumstances have played a part here.”

District Judge Michael Henderson said “probation would be a good idea” for Clark, noting this was her second drink-driving offence.

He said: “Even though I am giving you due credit for your early guilty plea this was a bad case of drink driving. Up until you crashed your car you didn’t stop for the police.”

Clark was banned from driving for four years and was given a six-month supervision order, a six-month community order, and told to pay �85 costs.