A former deputy care manager who was 2-and-a-half times the drink-drive limit when she crashed her car has been banned from driving for 42 months – her 3rd conviction for drink driving in the past 8 years.
37-year-old Elizabeth Ann Gallagher appeared before the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court yesterday (Tuesday) charged with drink driving, driving without a licence, driving without insurance and fraud by false representation – charges she pleaded guilty to.
Ann Smout, prosecuting, explained that at around 00:35 on 2nd May, a silver Ford Focus was witnessed driving through the Whiteley Bank area on the outskirts of Shanklin in a manner that led a local bus driver to suspect the driver was in drink. The Focus was swerving all over the place and on the third time of veering off the carriageway crashed into a road sign and spun out into the road on 2 wheels.
Suspecting the driver – now known to be Elizabeth Gallagher – was over the limit, the witness called Police to which Gallagher replied with slurred speech “don’t call the fucking Police”. She then fled the scene, but was picked up by officers shortly afterwards and then positively identified by the bus driver who had seen the entire incident unfold.
Gallagher was driving home from a friend’s house in Wroxall at the time of the crash.
As well as being drunk, the court heard that Gallagher, of no fixed abode but currently living on Sandown Road in Lake, had committed fraud by false representation by taking out insurance in someone else’s name. The intention was to obtain cheaper insurance for her vehicle due to her previous convictions.
It was explained to the bench that Elizabeth had previously been sentenced for drink driving offences in 2013 and 2015, as well as a being in charge of a vehicle whilst drunk charge in 2019. It’s for this reason that Elizabeth took out insurance in another’s name as she believed her convictions would raise the premium payable.
Defending, Mr Cameron said that his client accepts she was the driver of the vehicle, takes responsibility for her actions and that the decisions she made were a ‘bad call’. Her alcohol consumption was partially blamed on her relationship troubles, as well as the stresses of working in care during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s said she binge drinks as a form of escapism.
Magistrates handed Elizabeth Gallagher a 42-month driving ban and ordered her to wear an alcohol monitoring tag for 80 days, as well as completing 10 rehabilitation days as part of a 12-month community order. She was also ordered to pay £40 costs with a £95 surcharge.
£40 fee, disgrace, she should be sent to prison for repeating again and again, the car should be crushed as no insurance. She planned to drive illegally.
Far far too lenient for such premeditated offence, she could have killed someone.
This woman is a potential risk to us all, surely we should be protected by the courts.
What a joke our judicial system is here. What if she’d hit a car or worse person. She willbe laughing at that.
Unbelievable. The courts are handing out stupidly light sentences for serious crimes such as this. No wonder crime seems to be on the increase on the Island. If you get caught, so what. The worst part of the court appearance would be the effort to look respectable. Light fine then off you go, and the magistrates would wave goodbye, “see you again soon” JOKE.
A man wouldve been jailed for that..
Totally agree,woman get away with murder these days, (I know,I will blame it on my partner) this excuse is wearing very thin,if that was my bird I would give it a slap!
Should be banned for life
Totally agree .. selfish woman
What the feck has happened to this woman to make her so alcohol dependant? Ban her, but get her into some decent therapy before she kills herself, or someone else.