A businesswoman who downed Pinot Grigio and tequila at the opening of a cocktail bar before driving home in her luxury Porsche was so drunk she could only walk on her knees, a court heard.
Julie Wynn-Griffiths, 55, was reported by a concerned motorist who watched her careering around in her £70,000 Macan SUV – with the boot wide open.
When officers arrived at her £500,000 cottage, the recruitment consultant, who had knocked back white wine and Tequila, was unable to stand up.
Instead, a court heard, she had to ”shuffle herself” on her knees to get around.
Wynn-Griffiths, of Alderley Edge, Cheshire, admitted drink driving but claimed her drink must have been spiked.
The incident occurred on April 18 after mother-of-one Wynn-Griffiths and an air hostess friend attended the opening of Aura bar in nearby Wilmslow.
Prosecutor Simon Leong told Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Monday: ‘At 11.15pm another motorist who had parked his car next to the BP garage went back to his vehicle and noticed the defendant.
‘She was unsteady on her feet, stumbling around and, in his opinion, visibly drunk.
‘The motorist saw her collapse onto his car, causing no damage, before getting back on her feet and then unlocking her vehicle.
‘In attempting to open the vehicle, the boot opened, which she did not notice. She then went to the driver’s seat and turned the ignition on. He (the motorist) moved his vehicle away for fear she may drive into him.
‘He then followed her, describing her as ‘being all over the place’ and driving ‘over the central white line’.’
Mr Leong added the concerned motorist followed Wynn and called police. When she eventually parked, the Porsche’s boot remained wide open.
The prosecutor said officers who attended ‘noted the car engine was still warm and knocked on the defendant’s front door’.
Mr Leong said: ‘It was opened and the defendant was seen sat on her knees.
‘The officer could immediately spell intoxicants and formed the opinion that she was drunk.
‘The defendant was noted to shuffle herself on her knees into the living room. She appeared unable to stand and had to walk on her knees to get around.
‘She was asked for a sample and if she had been drinking. She said ‘Yes’ and was then arrested.’
Tests later showed Wynn-Griffiths had 100 micrograms of alcohol in 100 mililtres of breath, almost three times the legal limit.
She made a formal complaint saying her drink had been spiked but CCTV footage showed her holding a ‘large glass’ and going to the bar at least three times.
In evidence, Wynn-Griffiths, a full-time carer for her 31-year-old autistic son, said she would never be so ‘stupid’ as to get behind the wheel under the influence, for fear of a ban.
She added: ‘I know it would affect my son profoundly because he cannot drive.’
Recalling her evening, she said she had bought a glass of Pinot Grigio and was with her friend before ‘two men came over and we started chatting’.
She said: ‘My friend left at 10pm as she was on standby (for work) the next day and one of the guys said ‘Do you want a drink?’ I said ‘Yes, please.’
‘He came back with what I believe was tequila. I thought he was going to get me another glass of wine. I cannot remember anything after that.’
Wynn-Griffiths agreed she had the tequila with lemon and salt, plus a second glass of wine.
When shown CCTV of her leaving the bar, Wynn-Griffiths admitted: ‘I looked terrible and I was shocked at how I could not even walk.
‘I am absolutely positive they put something in my drink.’
She claimed she could not remember driving home, police attending, or being breathalysed, adding: ‘It was horrific being in a police cell.’
Rob Kellock, defending, said: ‘She has given evidence of feeling extremely poorly, unwell, depressed, a loss of memory, anxious, all of which would be consistent with some form of date rape type drug.’
But magistrate Helen Jarman told Wynn-Griffiths: ‘We do not find your version of events credible.’
She was fined £876, plus £462 in costs and a surcharge, and banned from driving for 26 months.
