A mum-of-2 from East Cowes who was caught behind the wheel whilst almost 5x the drink-drive limit has been taken off the roads for 36 months and handed a 20-week suspended prison sentence.
28-year-old Isabella Kochanski, of Albert Way, appeared before the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court for sentencing this afternoon (Friday).
It was on 3rd March this year that Police stopped Kochanski whilst she was driving a 71-plate Ford Kuga ST-Line on Church Road in Wootton. She failed a roadside breath test and later went on to provide an evidential breathalyser reading of 173 – the legal limit being just 35.
During today’s hearing, Kochanski’s own defence solicitor, Jim Osborne, said it was one of the highest readings he had ever come across. However, he explained that Kochanski had gone through a terrible and traumatic period with the loss of her family members. Mr Osborne said that his client had stopped drinking since her arrest and was undergoing bereavement counselling.
The court heard that Police took the 28-year-old to hospital as they were so concerned about how someone could be so coherent yet provide such a high reading.
The stay-at-home mum, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to a single charge of drink driving on 18th March. Today she was sentenced to 20 weeks in custody, suspended for 12 months, as well as being ordered to complete 25 rehabilitation days and pay £85 costs with a £128 surcharge. A 36-month driving disqualification – with effect from 18th March – was also imposed.
A teeny weeny fine, 5 times the legal amount should have been at least a £500 fine, she got off lightly
Hardly a Mother. Just a female who has had children. A huge difference IF you are fortunate to have had a true Mother.
Please do not comment if you have no idea of sorrow.
They failed to mention this was at school pick up time putting all children and parents at risk, when she drove her car 5× over the limit and thankfully she was found passed out on the steering wheel before she had collected her own children.
Oh the oh so perfect person with the oh so perfect person husband and children. When you know grief in “extremis” look it up. You are an ignoramus, conceited and a liar. She was never a threat to anybody and you and your ilk looking at your phones constantly are far more of a threat on the road than a drunk. Go to hell!
I cannot comment on her personal situation or her family life, that’s not for me to say. However, she was 100% a threat to every road user, pedestrian, child, herself. What I can comment on is her own actions that she decided to take that day. She had drove 5× over limit at 3pm in the afternoon to collect her child from school! If she hadn’t of passed out from the amount of alcohol she had consumed she would have collected her child and placed them in the car, she then would have continued to drink drive her child home.
She put all the children and parents at the school at risk and attempted to put her own in a deadly situation.
Selfish and sickening behaviour to say the least, we all go through rough times but most would never put others in danger.
I hope I do not end up in hell anytime soon as you have requested as I have a family myself.
Was it you by any chance? How can you possibly say that people on their phones are more dangerous than a drink driver 5x the drink drive limit. driving around at 3 in the afternoon. you seriously need to give the drink up as it’s very much clouding your judgement. if only for your children’s sake
Seriously. ??? Lots of people lose family members but they don’t drink n drive. She could have lost her kids if she had picked them up and also killed others. Greif is no excuse.
Someone looking after the so called stay at home mum 71 reg car being able to drink like a fish , either a generous understanding partner or the STATE either way she got off very lightly .
others have got much more for less
She was so ‘coherent’ obviously used to drinking heavily as the body builds up tolerance to alcohol.
Why the hell do these selfish people think it’s ok to get into a car and drive on public roads, endangering the lives of innocent motorists.
Another suspended sentence. Given the amount of alcohol in her system, she should have been given jail time. End of. No excuses.
Absolutely disgusting she should of been banned for much longer than that and locked up,there’s only so much that certain courts can can do so it should of gone to a different court,she will probably carry on driving like so many do these days
She is clever by using the system. I’ve got kids, bereavement so I can do whatever I want (no consequence). She is not fit to be a mother, put her in prison. The law is suppose to punish the perpetrator and protect the innocence. I hope social services are investigating and monitoring her so called parenting skills. This person chose to drink and used all the excuses to minimise her punishment, a truly pathetic poor excuse of a human.
Maybe she was bereaved and acted irrationally unless you have been in that situation you shouldn’t judge her !! It was very wrong to drink and drive I agree but luckily she was caught before she killed someone there are always 2 sides to a story let’s hope she gets the help that she needs
The other side was, she left her 3yr old home alone at the time too! Should be doing time.
Just a person…
The above mentioned is a total lie
Oh ok then, so she lied to me then. At hospital she was saying child at home alone & go get the dad from work!
She didn’t lie to you, the child was at home at the time of the offence at 3pm, the husband rushed home after receiving a phone call from a parent at the school saying his child was at home alone.
I lost my dad and was crushed by grief. I didn’t drink or do stupid shit. There is more to her than meets the eye. Probably been a heavy drinker way before she lost family .
Maybe should judge people without knowing the full story.. nice people do have a bad days!
Yes I agree. Not sure why people down vote it. Judge people on actions not their life story. I had a rough few years at the turn of the century. I never got pissed up and drove to pick the kids up.
just another pointless punishment, i bet she couldn’t stop laughing when she left the court.
How many other times has she been a drunk driver and never got caught
“ stay-at-home mum”
You mean a woman using her biological advantage to spong of a hard working man.
I hope Social Services are involved in welfare of her children she sounds a complete mess reading the above and the fact this happend during a school pick up period. She has got off very lightly in comparison to others and the “what could have been” episode.
Grief makes people mad. There are plenty of older people driving around with prescribed medicine in their bod’s on the island. Possibly those who continue to drive without the proper checks? Please don’t condemn a mother for her behaviour “in grief”, when you must consider your own. None of us know her history. I am not condoning any one of us for drink/drug driving but please don’t assume perfection. I can think of plenty of people who should no longer be allowed to drive because they are over 50! Plenty of people on strong painkillers etc. Eye tests have failed, waiting for a cataracts op and hip replacements that need to heal !
I would like to support her and stop this dreadful condemnation of her behaviour. I would like to meet a man or woman who’s behaviour is beyond condemnation, Please come forward and tell me how wonderful you are? What makes you the perfect parent? Why are you ready to condemn somebody you don’t know? Condemnation is so hypocritical and I wonder why. Answers please?
so stay at home mum means we tax payers will be footing the fine?
I am 1000% not condoning what she has done as it is utterly disgusting and she deserved everything and more than what she did get on Friday. However, the comment about her husband are untrue he is/has been extremely supportive to her and is doing all he can to help her through this and the bereavement they have both have endured over the last 4 years. The only person that can help herself is her through this and accept the help that she needs and has been offered. Thank goodness the kids weren’t in the car and thank goodness she has been taken off the road for 3 years.