A DRUNK woman who ploughed her 4X4 car into other vehicles has narrowly avoided jail.Carol Lunnon was nearly four times over the legal drink drive limit when she drove her Suzuki car in Dover Road where she lives.

A DRUNK woman who ploughed her 4X4 car into other vehicles has narrowly avoided jail.

Carol Lunnon was nearly four times over the legal drink drive limit when she drove her Suzuki car in Dover Road where she lives.

The 45-year-old who suffers from depression told South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court she had been drinking heavily since her relationship break up.

Lesla Small, prosecuting, said Lunnon drove her car at about 9.30pm on January 6 this year.

She added: “She collided with a number of parked vehicles, one had a passenger in. Then the car crashed head on into a Ford Fiesta and blocked the road.”

Lunnon, who suffered minor injuries, told police she had drunk seven vodkas earlier that night. There were also sleeping tablets in her possession but there was no evidence that she had taken any.

Lunnon had 132 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms of alcohol.

Lunnon said: “I have been drinking quite heavily because I'm going through a break up with my partner of 16 years and I'm on incapacity benefit because of depression and anxiety.”

District Judge David Cooper said: “An immediate prison sentence would normally be passed because you were nearly four times over the limit and you posed a grave danger to the public hitting parked vehicles and having a head on collision.

“However, because of the emotional distress and the serious consequences it would have on your mental health and because you have never been in trouble before I am going to suspend the sentence.”

Lunnon was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison but the term was suspended for a year. She was also told to do 100 hours unpaid work for the community and placed on 12 months probation supervision.

Lunnon was disqualified from driving for three years and told to pay £65 court costs. She was told if she completed the Drink Driver's Rehabilitation Course the ban would be reduced by nine months.