A WOMAN was almost three times the drink-drive limit when she crashed into a bollard at Tesco and passed out at the wheel drunk, with family members in her car, a court was told.

Jane Hill, of Acorn Gardens, East Cowes, admitted drink driving in a Peugeot, on June 30, when she appeared at the Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court on Tuesday (July 16).

As a result of the offence, Hill flouted the terms of a two-year probation order, handed to her by magistrates in April last year for an assault on an emergency worker and two failing to surrender charges.

At around 10am on June 30, the 40-year-old, with her daughter, brother and another woman, went shopping — ending up at the Tesco superstore, in Afton Road, Freshwater.

She had been driving normally up until that point.

However, Hill went to the toilet and, after she emerged some time later, was seen to be "unsteady on her feet" as they shopped, said Liz Miller, prosecuting.

Back at the car, Hill pulled out of her parking space and struck a bollard. She then blocked the road, which caused annoyance to other road users, the bench was told.

Hill's daughter described her mother as being drowsy and slurring her words, before she passed out at the steering wheel at around 12.55pm.

After her brother parked the car safely, a call was put in to the police and paramedics over concerns for her wellbeing, said Ms Miller.

When arrested, Hill provided a drink-drive breath reading of 101 microgrammes — just shy of three times the legal limit of 35.

For Hill, Oscar Vincent said his client, with no previous drink-drive convictions, had relapsed into alcohol abuse because, two days before the offence, she had changed her anti-depressant medication and was not used to it.

She was also going through a number of family issues.

"These elements combined led to her relapse. She had referred herself to Inclusion and went five months without consuming alcohol prior to the incident," Mr Vincent explained. 

Hill, unemployed, was banned from driving for 26 months and had her probation order revoked and replaced by another two-year order, with £85 costs and a £114 surcharge.