Drink-driver who crashed car on school run sentenced

A woman has been sentenced after crashing her car during a school run while drunk.

Sarah Shott, 49, of Trent Crescent in Melksham, was caught drink-driving three times in four months. On one occasion she had two children in her car.

Appearing at Swindon Magistrate's Court on Monday, she pleaded guilty to two charges of failing to provide a specimen for analysis and an an additional charge of drink driving.

She was sentence to six weeks' in prison, suspended for 12 months, and has been disqualified from driving for 40 months.

The court also ordered that she attends six months of alcohol treatment.

The first offence in Shott's series of drink-driving incidents occurred on 13 November 2024.

Wiltshire Police received a 999 call informing them that a green Vauxhall Mokka was swerving into opposite lanes, mounting the curb and had several near-misses with oncoming traffic.

Soon after, another person called to report that the same car had crashed into a lamppost on Bath Road.

Shott was confirmed to be the driver and failed a roadside breath test at the scene.

In custody, she made no effort to try and provide a specimen of breath, the court was told.

Just six days later, on 19 November, police said Shott was seen staggering out of a primary school and stalling her car numerous times while trying to pull away.

Officers attended and Shott also failed a roadside breath test.

Police said she weas given several chances to provide a specimen of breath in custody but failed to do so.

Shott's vehicle, with two children on board, was stopped in Trent Crescent on 20 March where she admitted to having consumed alcohol before getting into the car.

Shott failed a roadside breath test for the third time and was arrested on suspicion of drink driving.

PC Luke Hosken, from Wiltshire Police, said: "Shott persistently drove after drinking alcohol and it is clear from her continued offending that she had no regard for the safety of herself, her passengers or other road users.

"Last November, Shott crashed her car during school pickup hours and the risk she posed to the public was enormous. It's a relief that no one was injured by her reckless actions.

"This lengthy disqualification and real threat of imprisonment should serve as a strong deterrent to any consideration of further drink driving from Shott."

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