Manchester Airport easyJet stewardess told police she’d been boozing in Morrisons car park

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She claimed she had only started drinking when she arrived at the supermarket and added that she had been in a ”distressed state” after splitting from her partner whom she said was abusive to her.

At Chester Magistrates’ Court, mum-of-one Coombs faced a six month ban after she admitted being drunk in charge of a motor vehicle – but her driving licence was endorsed with 10 penalty points.

Prosecutors accepted her not guilty plea to the more serious charge of drink driving which would have resulted in a mandatory disqualification had she been convicted.

Earlier Nigel Jones, prosecuting, said: “On July 11 last year, police officers hastened to Morrisons car park in Winsford following reports that they had received and located the defendant who had a set of car keys to a Vauxhall Mokka.

”The keys were taken from her and it was clear that the defendant had been in control of that vehicle at that time. She was subsequently arrested.”

‘She is a good person’

Tests showed Coombs had a reading of 171 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, the legal limit being 80mg. Her solicitor David Swingler said: “She is a good person, she lives a good life and has many many positives.

“On this day she met a friend and something was weighing heavily on her. She was coming to the end of an incredibly abusive relationship, a manipulative abusive relationship.

”There were elements of control and coercion and she left the property where she resided with her partner. She returned to collect belongings and she became distressed and was in such a state she left the property in tears.

“She contacted her friend who she was going to see and arranged to go over but it was agreed she was in such a state she should not be on the road. She pulled over into the car park at Morrisons and arranged for her friend to pick her up and whilst there she drinks.

“Police attended and she is approached. She has to accept that there would have been a risk of driving if her friend had not turned up. She does not have to be in the car. Just being in possession of the keys means there could be a likelihood of driving. This whole experience is not something she intends to repeat again.

Mr Swingler added: “She is now back living with her mum who’s in her late 60s and has severe mobility issues. She is effectively a carer for her. She works as cabin crew for easyJet based at Manchester Airport so a driving licence is essential, as she needs to get there for 4am and there is no public transport. Without the ability to drive she has no job.”

He asked: “Where does the greater good lie? Disqualifying her for six months for up to six months, where she loses her job, she goes on to benefits, her life becomes difficult and in a few months she is back on the road.

”Ten points puts her on a knife edge and for three years she will not be able to obtain one set of penalty points otherwise she is off the road for six months. I would suggest that the greater good lies in having the sword hanging over her for three years.”

Coombs was also fined £300 and ordered to pay £270 in costs and a surcharge.

JP Mrs Frances Miller told her: “As your solicitor has said you have to be extremely careful when driving. Having a bald tyre will attract three points and 12 points is the magic number. So you have to have to be very careful.”