A SOCIAL worker, a health and safety manager and a mum on the school run are among those brought before the courts for drink driving so far this year.

Helen Raine, of Talbot Hill Road in Bournemouth, was caught driving a VW Beetle in Christchurch Road on January 29 this year with 61 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

The 50-year-old was involved in a two-car crash after driving her children to school in the morning.

Todd Twine, mitigating at Bournemouth Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, February 16, said the defendant has "never troubled the courts before".

"She is embarrassed and ashamed," he said, adding that Raine has recognised that she has a problem with alcohol.

The defendant was banned from driving for 17 months and will pay a total of £701 in costs and fines to the court.

Paul Llewellyn, of Redcliffe Close in Burton, admitted driving his Citroen Picasso in the Sainsbury's car park in Christchurch on January 26 with 61 mg of alcohol in 100 ml of breath.

The 37-year-old, who works as a health and safety manager, said he had drunk two pints of beer at home before realising his poorly son had run out of cough medicine.

Representing himself, he told magistrates: "I didn't think - I walked to my car and drove to Sainsbury's."

Police offices were in the store talking to security staff when Llewellyn approached and complained that trolleys had been blown all over the car park by Storm Desmond.

Nicola Reece, prosecuting, said: "The officers said they had smelled intoxicants on his breath."

The defendant was arrested behind the wheel of his car.

He was handed a 17-month ban and £690 of fees and fines.

Martin Barker, of High Howe Lane in Bournemouth, admitted driving a Citroen C3 in Canford Magna with 72 mg of alcohol in 100 ml of breath on January 30 this year.

The 21-year-old, who represented himself, told magistrates that he had downed six pints of beer before getting behind the wheel.

Nicola Reece, prosecuting, said police received reports of a single-car crash in Oakley Lane at 2.20am.

Barker was arrested at the scene, later telling officers he had started drinking at 10pm, visiting four pubs in Wimborne and downing half-a-dozen pints.

The defendant said: "It was a horrible decision.

"I completely understand the seriousness of the situation."

He was sentenced to a 20-month ban and costs and fines totalling £497.

Jacqueline Mole, of Brunstead Road in Poole, pleaded guilty to driving her Polo on St Stephens Road with 47 mg of alcohol in 100 ml of breath.

The 61-year-old, a social worker with Bournemouth Borough Council, told officers she had drunk three medium-sized glasses of wine with a friend after police arrested her at the scene of a single-car crash.

The court heard she had clipped the kerb in the moments before the crash as she tried to light a cigarette.

As a member of the public approached to offer help, he smelled alcohol on her breath and called police.

Mole was disqualified from driving for 14 months and will pay fines and costs totalling £360.

DRINK DRIVE LIMITS

The current drink driving limits for England, Wales and Northern Ireland have been in place since 1967 and are as follows: 35 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres (ml) of breath; 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 ml of blood; or. 107 micrograms of alcohol in 100 ml of urine.