A children’s nursery worker who drove into a fence after turning up for her job nearly six times the drink-drive limit has been spared jail.
Ilona Robinson, 35, was unsteady on her feet after arriving for work at Kids Planet nursery in Abergele, North Wales in her Mini Cooper, a court heard today.
Robinson, who had been drinking since the early hours of the morning and was ‘slurring her words’, refused to give the car keys to the nursery manager and instead collided with another fence panel.
Police were called and breathalysed her, taking a reading of 200 micrograms per 100ml at the roadside, and 170 in custody.
The legal maximum in England and Wales is 35 micrograms per 100ml of breath.
Guidelines state that a driver giving such a high reading can face a prison sentence of up to six months.
But a tearful Robinson walked free from Llandudno magistrates court today with an 18 month community order and a three-year driving ban.
District judge Gwyn Jones ordered her to complete rehabilitation activity days to address the ‘issue’ blighting her life as well as 220 hours’ unpaid work.
Ilona Robinson, 35, (pictured leaving court) arrived at the nursery where she worked in Abergele, North Wales almost six times the drink-drive limit in her Mini Cooper
Robinson – who pleaded guilty at a previous hearing – had no contact with children that day and no longer works at the nursery, part of one of the country’s biggest chains.
Prosecutor Siriol Jones said Robinson had been unsteady on her feet after pulling into the car park at Kids Planet on March 30.
‘There was a clear smell of alcohol,’ she said.
‘The defendant said she wasn’t aware she had driven into the fence.’
Police were called after she collided with a second fence.
‘The defendant was asleep on a chair and slurring her words,’ Ms Jones added.
Defence solicitor Andrew Hutchinson said Robinson had been drinking since the early hours.
The judge said she had driven to ‘a sensitive area’ but added: ‘Fortunately for you nobody was hurt.’
Robinson, of Rhyl, was also ordered to pay £199 costs.
Kids Planet is one of Britain’s largest nursery operators with 266 sites across England and Wales.
In a statement it said: ‘The incident occurred before the person started work.
‘Our team acted immediately and the person did not come into contact with any child. Police were contacted immediately.
‘The individual is no longer employed by our organisation and has had no further involvement with the nursery.
‘We take any concerns of this nature extremely seriously and have robust safeguarding procedures in place.
‘The safety and wellbeing of the children in our care is our absolute priority.’
