A MOTHER-of-13 has been fined again after appearing in court for a second drink driving charge and was warned by magistrates she must pay up.
Ellen Morris, 40, whose family lives on about £25,000 a year handouts and who spends some of the cash on drinking and smoking caused a storm two weeks ago when Burnley magistrates wiped out about £1,800 in fines as long as she sat in court until the day's proceedings ended.
Yesterday Morris was back in court where she was fined another £50 and was told she would not have it as easy if she defaulted again. The defendant admitted driving with excess alcohol last July 31. Morris, of Duckworth Street, Barrowford, was banned for 18 months.
Morris, who had filled in the amount she spent on drink and cigarettes on the means form she handed the bench, escaped a costs order.
Sentencing, chairman Anne Brown told Morris the bench was very limited in the amount it could fine her because of the £1, 025 in fines she already owed.
Mrs Brown told the defendant, who had earlier been ordered to pay £20 a week: "You must make sure these fines are paid. If you come back to the enforcement court you will be dealt with more severely whatever problems you have. Please address this £20 a week as soon as possible."
The chairman added the justices were "disturbed" it was Morris' second drink drive conviction: "There was potential harm to other road users. If you had an accident you could have injured somebody."
Andrew Creswell, prosecuting, said Morris was stopped in a routine check at 5am on Scotland Road, Nelson. A breath test then a blood test showed she was over the limit.
It was Morris' second drink drive offence in 10 years.
And on March 17 the defendant was convicted of driving while disqualified and no insurance, Mr Cresswell said. She was given a 12 month community order and disqualified for two years.
Geoff Ireland, defending, said Morris had been running her boyfriend home to The Galleries in Nelson, a journey of less than a mile.
He said she had been drinking in the Victoria pub in Barrowford the night before but did not think she would be over the limit.
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