THE sort of nonsense sometimes heard inside in court is illustrated by the case of Deborah Poulton. She drank vodka from a Lucozade bottle, while driving around her 13-month old daughter.

When pulled over, she was almost three times the limit.

In mitigation the court heard she “hadn’t felt under the influence,” and “turned to alcohol to deal with other issues.”

The bottom line is that Poulton put the life of her baby and other people at risk and was utterly thoughtless and reckless.

No excuse, no mitigating circumstances. Happily, Dorset Police’s summer drink drive campaign started on Sunday.