THE head of a Blackburn primary school appeared to be incoherent when she was stopped because of her erratic driving on New Year's Eve, a court heard.

And Blackburn magistrates heard that a subsequent breath test showed Barbera Elizabeth Fisher to be more than double the legal drink-driving limit

Fisher, 55, of Edmunton Drive, Yew Tree Park, Blackburn, was disqualified from driving for 18 months and fined £600 with £40 costs after pleading guilty to driving with excess alcohol in Preston New Road, Blackburn.

Wendy Shackleton, prosecuting, said she was stopped at 6.35pm. Police saw Fisher's car being driving erratically, weaving across the central white line.

When they stopped her the officers noted she smelled strongly of drink and she appeared to be incoherent.

Brent Patterson, defending, said Fisher was the £28,000 a year head of Roman Road Primary School. She had taught there for the last 20 years and been head for the past 10 years.

"This incident has had quite a devastating effect on my client," said Mr Patterson. "She does not know how the local authority will react or how the governors will react." Mr Patterson told the court that Fisher had spent the afternoon visiting friends and neighbours wishing them a Happy New Year, and had a few glasses of white wine.

She realised she had forgotten to take a present to an ex-pupil and set off to drive to Shadsworth.

He said Fisher denied that she had been driving erratically.

Mr Patterson said Fisher was dedicated to her job which entailed working long hours.

She also regularly visited her elderly parents, who had recently moved into sheltered accommodation, and travelled to Liverpool to support the family of her sister, who had recently been diagnosed as suffering from multiple sclerosis.

"I would ask you to keep the disqualification to the minimum given the impact it is going to have on her and her family," said Mr Patterson.

"This is not a case of someone ignoring the law but of someone who has misjudged the amount she had to drink.

"This is a lady who quite literally lives and breathes her career and seems to live her life for everyone but herself."

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