A 52-year-old drink-driving hairdresser has been fined £1,000 and banned from driving for two years.
Ewa Anna Lukasik was stopped by police in the early hours as she drove home from a friend’s house.
After a blood test produced a reading of 144, she pleaded guilty to the drink-driving charge.
Prosecuting advocate Rachael Braidwood told the court that police saw Lukasik driving on Woodbourne Road in Douglas at 1.25am on June 11.
She went straight through a red light without slowing, so officers followed her with their blue lights illuminated but did not put their siren on due to the late hour.
Lukasik, who lives at Peel Road in Douglas, continued to drive onto York Road, then onto Ballaquayle Road and Lower Duke’s Road, before stopping at Hutchinson Square.
When police spoke to her, they described her as appearing confused.
Initially officers said there appeared to be a language barrier, due to Lukasik being originally from Poland.
She was unable to follow instructions to take the roadside breathalyser test, despite officers using Google Translate for assistance and showing her how to use the breathalyser test.
Officers then came to the conclusion that Lukasik was being obstructive, rather than it being due to any language barrier, and she was initially arrested for failing to provide a sample.
After being taken to police headquarters, she again failed to provide a sample of breath but did agree to give blood.
The blood sample was sent for analysis and later produced a result of 144. The legal limit for blood is 80.
Further police investigations found that Lukasik had been on the island for 20 years and had been working as a mobile hairdresser.
Defence advocate Ian Kermode handed in letters of reference for his client and said that, at the time, she had been struggling with personal issues.
Mr Kermode said: ‘On June 10, Ms Lukasik went to a friend’s house and was drinking wine. She doesn’t usually drink alcohol and had several glasses, but thought she was fit to drive home.’
The advocate went on to say that there had been no accident, injury, or property damaged, and that Lukasik had held a driving licence for around 30 years without any previous convictions.
Mr Kermode said that his client had not been able to work recently and was mortified to be in court.
‘She said she feels awful about her decision to drive and is ashamed,’ said the advocate. The letters of reference describe her as trustworthy, kind, caring, honest and thoughtful.’
Mr Kermode added that Lukasik would not currently be well enough to undertake community service.
Magistrates also ordered her to take an extended driving test at the end of her ban.
She must also pay £125 prosecution costs, along with the fine, at a rate of £20 per fortnight, deducted from benefits.