A court hearing revealed the emotional toll on a woman who drunkenly crashed her car after a night out, as she faced the consequences of her actions that would impact her ability to care for her ill mother.

Mia Lavelle-Clegg, 23, an administration worker from Mossley, Tameside, was found to be more than twice the legal alcohol limit after her black Seat Leon crashed into a parked car at 10.45pm on November 9 last year on Mossley Road, Oldham.

Representing herself at Tameside magistrates' court, Lavelle-Clegg expressed her remorse, stating, "This has been a huge wake up call. I do drive a lot, driving to work and home. My mum is ill as well. She has cancer and I have let her down. I do take my mum to appointments and I help her with shopping. I just know that I have done really wrong. I am just sorry about it."

Officers noticed her body language and the strong smell of alcohol on her breath, prompting a roadside breath test that she failed. Subsequent tests revealed she had 80 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, exceeding the legal limit of 35mg.

During the hearing, Lavelle-Clegg tearfully admitted, "I made a really bad decision to drive home when I should not have done it. I have never done anything like this before. I was on my way home with a friend. I am aware I put at risk myself and others. I apologise for that - I don't know else to say."

Prosecutor Shazia Aslam detailed the incident, stating that Lavelle-Clegg's car struck a vehicle parked outside a house on Mossley Road, Grasscroft. She confirmed, "The defendant admits to driving the vehicle at the time of the accident. She appeared intoxicated to officers, through body language and a strong smell of alcohol. The officers requested a roadside breath test. That was positive and she was therefore arrested and taken to Swinton Police Station, where two further breath tests were taken. The lowest reading was 80. She was then charged with the offence." She added that Lavelle-Clegg has no previous convictions and was of good character.

As a result, Lavelle-Clegg was fined £369, with an additional £233 in costs and surcharges, and banned from driving for 18 months. However, she was given the option to take a drink-drive awareness course for a potential reduction in her ban.