April 27, 2022 7.00 pm This story is over 23 months old

Driving ban for Hykeham woman who rode e-scooter drunk on hen do

An officer noticed her eyes were “glazed and red”

Paige Burnley. | Photo: Gloucestershire Police via BBC

A 26-year-old woman from North Hykeham has been given an 18-month driving ban after being caught riding an e-scooter while drunk on a hen do in Cheltenham.

Paige Burnley, of Lindum Mews in North Hykeham, was spotted by police wearing bright coloured clothing and riding the Zwings e-scooter erratically in the bus lane in Royal Well Place on April 9 this year. She was stopped and an officer noticed her eyes were “glazed and red” and her speech slurred.

Burnley failed a roadside test and was taken into custody where she provided a reading of 75 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, which is more than double the legal limit of 35mcg.

On April 25, Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court heard Burnley, who was due to start her new job at a pharmaceutical company this week, pleaded guilty to one charge of drink driving.

Chris Hogg, defending, said the hen do group Burnley was part of had booked taxis to take them home, but they had not arrived. He said his client thought she could ride the e-scooters instead and legitimately hired one. However, they are classed as motorised vehicles, so she was found to be drink driving.

Mr Hogg added: “She accepts that ignorance of the law is no defence.”

District Judge Nicholas Wattam fined Burnley £500. He also ordered she paid court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £50.

Cheltenham is one of more than 30 towns and cities currently having official e-scooter trials, where they are being offered for hire and can be legally used on roads and pathway in a government experiment to see if they are a safe and viable form of green transport.