A teenage drink-driver who said she had one drink has been fined £1,000 and banned from driving for a year.
Ellie Reid admitted the offence and was also ordered to take an extended test at the end of the ban.
Prosecuting advocate Hazel Carroon told the court that police received a tip-off from a member of the public, regarding a drink-driver on June 7 at 2am.
When officers spoke to her, they reported that she was smelling of alcohol.
A roadside breathalyzer test recorded an error, but after being taken to police headquarters, Reid took a further test which produced a reading of 40.
The legal limit is 35.
The court heard that she has no previous convictions.
Defence advocate David Clegg handed in a letter of apology for his client and said that she could have asked for a blood test, as is the law for readings under 50, but had declined.
‘It’s impossible to say if she’d taken up the offer, if we’d be here today,’ said the advocate.
‘There was no complaint in relation to her standard of driving.
‘She was only just over the limit.
‘She had one drink. Ms Reid is of slight stature and had not eaten all day.’
Mr Clegg said that his client had been at someone’s house and got into an argument.
Office worker Reid said she had left out of concerns for her safety but had made the mistake of driving home.
Mr Clegg said that a short distance was driven and that the reading was one of the lowest that was likely to be before the court.
Magistrates also ordered Reid to pay £125 prosecution costs which she will pay, along with the fine, at a rate of £200 per month.