A CARER who drove while more than three times the alcohol limit has pleaded guilty to drink-driving and failing to stop after an accident, Skipton magistrates heard.

Kathryn Myers, 50, of Hall Way, Sutton, had 'clipped' a parked car in North View, Lothersdale. between 2pm and 2.30pm on March 18.

Melanie Ibbotson, prosecuting, said the owner of the damaged car approached the defendant with the intention of asking her to reverse her car but as he spoke to her she kept repeating 'leave me alone'.

Myers then left the scene.

The resident had noted Myers' car's registration number and police attended the defendant's home address where she was arrested. A error with the evidential breath test device at the station meant a blood sample had to be obtained. It showed she had 262 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80 milligrammes.

Mrs Ibbotson said that in interview, Myers accepted driving the vehicle while over the alcohol limit, but had no recollection of the incident.

She said she had consumed four or five glasses of vodka and was struggling while grieving the loss of family members.

John Mewies, defending, said his client was not dependent on alcohol and had consumed the amount to 'block out issues' following the loss of her mother, father and step-father within a period of 20 months.

Mr Mewies said Myers was a carer and had spent her life caring for others. She was assigned to the care of three disabled people who live independently and which was demanding work, requiring her to live in the property for two or three days a week.

He said she was at a low ebb saying she had suffered problems with other family members. She also said she had been excommunicated from her father's funeral but she 'pulled herself together and continued to work'.

Mr Mewies said despite not dependent on alcohol, she attended Horizons voluntarily.

On the day in question she had clipped the car and panicked.

She was mortified by what she had done.

Magistrates adjourned sentencing for the preparation of probation reports until August 14 with unconditional bail.

In the meantime she was given an interim driving disqualification.