A POLICE officer watched a Newport mum-of-two — more than double the drink-drive limit — swerve from side to side right behind his patrol car, an Isle of Wight court was told.

Hayley Delemere, of Scarrots Lane, who admitted drink-driving on the Blackwater Road, Newport, on May 17, was banned from driving for 18 months.

Shortly after midnight, a police officer on patrol was driving, at 30mph, on Blackwater Road, when Delemere, 36, appeared very suddenly close behind him.

The officer noticed Delemere's car was "swerving from side to side", said Ann Smout, prosecuting, at the Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court on Tuesday (31).

The policeman pulled over and allowed Delemere to pass, then followed her, stating she was still swerving.

Delemere, with no previous convictions, was eventually pulled over, was agitated, smelt strongly of alcohol and refused a roadside alcohol breath test.

At Newport Police Station, she co-operated with the breath test procedure, blowing a reading of 71 microgrammes. The legal limit is 35.

For Delemere, Michael McGoldrick said his client disputed any suggestion her driving standards were poor, stressing that was why she had not been charged with any other type of driving offence.

Mr McGoldrick said Delemere was adamant she was co-operative with the police.

Jobless Delemere accepted she had consumed alcohol earlier the previous day, had slept for two to three hours, then woke up and felt fine and that it was safe to drive, the bench was told.

Her motivation to drive was because of her concern property at her brother's home may have been damaged and she wanted to retrieve it.

"Clearly, it was a huge misjudgement on her part as to how quickly, or slowly, alcohol leaves the system, which, as a result, sees her losing her licence, which she'd held for 15 years," said Mr McGoldrick.

"The loss of her licence will have a huge impact on her and her two children."

On top of her disqualification, Delemere was fined £120, with £85 costs and a £34 victim surcharge.