A “HIGHLY valued” council worker was almost three times the drink-drive limit when she was stopped by police in Upton last month.

Sarah Evans-Johnson, who has worked as a youth development worker for the Borough of Poole for 17 years, had 103 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath when she was stopped in Poole Road on July 18.

The limit is 35mg.

Officers had followed the 51-year-old’s vehicle from Wallisdown Road before pulling her over at around 11.30pm.

Evans-Johnson, of Tree Hamlets in Poole, appeared at Poole Magistrates’ Court on Friday. She admitted drink driving.

The case was adjourned for pre-sentence reports.

Nicola Jinks, mitigating, said the defendant has a “stressful job”.

“She went to see friends in the evening after work,” she said.

“They had come back from holiday and bought alcohol from duty free.

“They all sat around having a few drinks. She then got in the car and drove home.”

The defendant “does have alcohol issues”, she said.

“She has been using alcohol as an anaesthetic,” Ms Jinks said.

Evans-Johnson was ordered to comply with an interim driving ban ahead of her sentence.