A woman who smashed her car into one of the oldest churches in Medway while over the drink-drive limit says the incident has ruined her life.

Louise Dray, 23, of King Edward Road, Gillingham, had been driving her Ford Focus along Rochester High Street when she lost control and crashed into the wall surrounding St Bartholomew’s Chapel, causing thousands of pounds of damage.

Dray escaped serious injury but needed treatment at the scene from paramedics before being taken to Medway Maritime Hospital at 2am on April 19.

Debbie Jones, prosecuting at Medway Magistrates’ Court, said: “Police were called to reports a Ford Focus had crashed into the wall of the church and had ended up on its roof. Miss Dray waited at the scene and admitted to police she was the driver.”

"I am really sorry for what I have done – I feel really bad” - Louise Dray

After she arrived in accident and emergency at the hospital she was given a blood test and was found to have 113 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood – the legal limit is 80. The court also heard she was of previous good character.

Dray said: “This has ruined my life. I really had learnt my lesson. I have had to change jobs and I’m gutted really. I have been driving since I was 17 and now, without a car, it is really hard. I am really sorry for what I have done – I feel really bad.”

Magistrates decided to ban Dray for 12 months and fined her £200. She was also ordered to pay £235 court costs.

Richard Lusted, chairman of the bench, added: “This is a serious offence. You were lucky to walk away unscathed.”

The church, on the corner of Gundulph Road, on the border of Rochester and Chatham, dates back 900 years and is one of the oldest places of worship in the Towns.

It was bought at auction for £46,000 in 2011 by property investor Paul Fernback who spent a large sum restoring it and agreed a deal with a local religious group. The building is now called Celestial Church of Christ.

The grade II-listed chapel has what is thought to be the oldest stained glass window in the country, which was undamaged.

It was built in about 1120 as part of St Bartholomew’s Hospital and is the only building from that period still standing in the area.

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