A woman who drove around while in a drunken stupor and had to ask for directions back to her home has been jailed after admitting drink-driving for the fourth time.

Mary McGee, 65, was locked up for 56 days by magistrates after she admitted a string of driving offences including drink-driving, driving while disqualified, driving without insurance and failing to stop after an accident.

McGee, of Keary Road, Swanscombe, appeared in the dock for sentencing at Medway on Monday after pleading guilty to the charges in April.

Leslie Watson, chairman of the bench, said: “This is the fourth time. You were driving on the roads for hours, it is very concerning indeed.

“This is very, very serious and we are taking this extremely seriously and have no other option but to jail you" - Leslie Watson, chairman of the bench

“It is so dangerous, you could have killed someone and it was a high reading on your breath test.

“This is very, very serious and we are taking this extremely seriously and have no other option but to jail you.”

The court heard how McGee already had three convictions for driving while over the limit.

Her first, in 1999, saw her banned from driving for a year. The second, in 2007, saw her banned for two years and in 2013 she was banned for three years.

Despite not being allowed to drive until May 8, 2016, McGee, got into her partner’s Peugeot car in March after getting into a drunken row with him.

She left her home and was spotted driving erratically along the A2 at Gravesend as she made her way to Asda in the town to buy more alcohol.

Nicholas Markendale, prosecuting, told the court motorists were so concerned about the way she was driving they called police.

Mr Markendale added: “At about 6.15pm that evening she was spotted driving erratically on the A2 at Gravesend.

One motorist even followed her because he was so concerned.

“As she got to the Echo Square roundabout, and at about 6.45pm, she was in collision with another motorist when she hit the rear of his car.

“She also told officers she forgot she was disqualified and got more and more disturbed as she drove around as she knew she was over the limit” - Nicholas Markendale, prosecuting

“He indicated to her to get out to take her details but she simply drove off and he later told officers she didn’t seem completely with it.”

Magistrates heard that later that night McGee got out of the car and walked to Ladbrokes bookmakers in Windmill Street to ask for directions back to Swanscombe.

Staff said she was extremely drunk but got back in the car and drove away.

McGee was later spotted on CCTV from The Echo pub’s car park at about 7.45pm getting out of the vehicle and going into the pub to ask for directions again.

When police caught up with her she was in a nearby Chinese restaurant and still had the car keys in her hands.

She was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving and when officers carried out a breath test she gave a reading of 61 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Further checks revealed she was already banned from driving and had no insurance.

During interview, McGee told officers she had rowed with her partner after they had both been drinking.

She had wanted to get away from him so she took his car and drove to Asda where she purchased three bottles of wine.

Mr Markendale added: “She told officers she drank one and a half bottles and then threw the rest away and drove around for a few hours but got lost as she could not find her way back to Swanscombe.

“She also told officers she forgot she was disqualified and got more and more disturbed as she drove around as she knew she was over the limit.”

The court was told McGee turned to alcohol after a family bereavement and that now she had severed all ties with her partner.

Magistrates decided they had no option but to jail McGee for 56 days for drink-driving and also jailed her for 56 days for driving while disqualified, to run concurrently.

Her licence was also endorsed for the other driving offences she admitted, and she was banned from driving for a further five years.

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