A hospital consultant knocked down and injured a pedestrian while over the drink-drive limit, a court has been told.

Natasha Mithal, 47, was driving home from a charity ball in the early hours of June 15 when she hit the man in her Volvo as he crossed Sturry Road, Canterbury.

The victim suffered head injuries which required treatment at Kent and Canterbury Hospital.

Canterbury magistrates heard that Mithal, who is a consultant oncologist at the hospital, failed a police roadside breath test.

A further test revealed she had 72 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - more than twice the legal limit.

She pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol when she appeared in court and was fined £2,400 and banned from driving for 20 months.

Her solicitor, Ian Bond, said she was extremely remorseful and had been fully co-operative with police.

He added: “The ball was in aid of the Starlight charity which Dr Mithal had helped organise.

“It was a long evening during which she drank a vodka Martini, two glasses of wine and a vodka tonic.

“But she did not feel under the influence and made a rational appraisal of her state to drive. It was an error of judgement rather than recklessness.”

He asked the court to take into account her "exemplary character" and the difficulties a driving ban would cause her.

Sentencing her, presiding magistrate Ray Evison said she had made a "catastrophic error" but the bench had taken into account her early guilty plea and previous good character.