Boozy Care Worker Reversed Into Traffic

A 22-year-old Amman-ford care worker is to lose her job after admitting driving with excess alcohol.

Keighley Phillips, of 110 Margaret Street, was stopped by police in Pontarddulais Road, Tycroes, when she tried to reverse into oncoming traffic at 11.45pm on January 6.

Ammanford magistrates were told how a police patrol car travelling along Pontarddulais Road saw a Ford Ka reversing down the middle of the road towards them.

advertisementThe court heard how the officers braced themselves for the impact.

But Phillips spotted them just in time to avoid a collision.

The officers spoke to Phillips, who said she had been driving to a friend’s house, but missed the turning.

As a result, she decided to reverse back down the road for another go, rather than find somewhere to turn.

The court heard that the officers could smell alcohol and ordered Phillips to take a breathalyser test.

She was found to have 82 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms .

Peter Rhys-Jones, defending, said Phillips was aware that she faced an automatic ban and would certainly lose her job – which involves travelling to patient’s homes – in the process.

“She is very ashamed and sorry for what she has done,” he said. “This was an extremely bad judgement call.”

The magistrates told Phillips: “This was a very bad decision on your part.”

Phillips was fined £150 and banned from driving for 20 months.

She was also ordered to pay £70 towards prosecution costs and a further £15 legal surcharge.