A stable girl at a leading racehorse yard has been banned from driving for a year after a drunken crash on her way home from a work night out.
Assistant barn manager Alannah Struth crashed into a field and was found with empty alcopop bottles in her car by the police. She was so drunk she could barely walk.
Yesterday, at Perth Sheriff Court, Struth was disqualified from the road and fined £600 by Sheriff Keith O’Mahoney.
Struth, 21, from Ballingry, Fife, admitted drink-driving on the A911 near Burleigh Castle, Milnathort, on April 7 this year.
The court was told that a bottle of WKD and a bottle of Hooch were found in Struth’s car when police arrived at the scene.
The court was told Struth, who works for leading trainer Nick Alexander, had moved into his Kinneston yard as a result of her inevitable driving ban.
Depute fiscal Michael Sweeney told the court: “At 12.30am police received information that a vehicle had crashed into a field.
“The road surface was covered in debris from where the accused’s vehicle had hit the grass verge. The accused was traced sitting in the passenger seat of another vehicle.
“She was found to be under the influence of alcohol, unable to walk on her own, and she was slurring her words.
“The accused admitted to officers she had been drinking alcohol and repeatedly apologised for her actions.
“There were two bottles of alcohol within the vehicle – described as Hooch and WKD.”
Solicitor Paul Ralph, defending, said: “She has an early start to the day and has a long working day with animals, horses in particular.
“Her employment remains open to her but as a result of this she has had to move in, rather than travel.
“She has had to pay £5,000 for her vehicle. The insurance company are not going to pay out, given her state of intoxication.
“She came from a works night out. She had only bought three drinks.
“She was trying to piece it together the following day. Her glass was getting topped up by others. She lost track of where she was.
“The process of appearances in court and preparing the social work report has hammered home the message to this young lady.
“It has been calamitous. She is off the road and has had to rent accommodation from her work to fulfil her commitments.”
Sheriff O’Mahoney said: “It is by sheer luck that the consequences of your actions were not more significant for yourself or other road users.”
Nick Alexander’s yard is based near Glenrothes and the National Hunt trainer has saddled more than 150 winners.
