A FORMER senior traffic police officer - once responsible for targeting drink-drivers - yesterday admitted being almost four times the legal limit on a busy North-East road.

Inspector Elizabeth Byron, 43, who headed Hertfordshire's road policing unit until she took sick leave last year, was stopped on the A66 at Lamb Hill, near Bowes, County Durham, in May.

She gave a positive roadside breath test and recorded 127 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Magistrates at Bishop Auckland heard how the high flyer, who rose to the rank of acting superintendent, crumbled under the responsibility of her job and the pressure of a 70 to 92-hour working week.

Her solicitor, Lynn Simpson, told the court that Byron now attends Alcoholics Anonymous, is clinically depressed and is struggling financially.

She has since resigned from the force she joined at the age of 18 and will lose her police-owned home in Hatfield.

Mrs Simpson said: "She deeply regrets what happened. The consequences have been absolutely horrific.

"She is taking a number of steps to address the numerous problems that she has.

"She has received substantial help from the Police Federation. She currently attends AA five times a week and has been referred to rehabilitation.

"She has been on a reduced salary and is struggling to make ends meet. Her outgoings far exceed her income."

Magistrates adjourned sentencing until September 10, imposing an immediate interim driving ban.

Chairman Sue Snowden said: "We realise you have taken steps to address your problems.

"We are dealing with an excessively high reading. We are requesting full pre-sentence reports especially looking at a rehabilitation order with conditions to address the particular problems that you have."

Following the hearing, a Hertfordshire Police spokeswoman confirmed that during the decline in Byron's career she had been demoted.

"She was demoted to the rank of inspector after she was found guilty at a misconduct hearing of disobedience to an order," she said.

"This was a completely separate matter which was resolved during her sick leave."

Ian Curley, deputy secretary of Hertfordshire Police Federation, said: "This is very sad. She served the community very well over many years.

"Since this case came to light, Hertfordshire Constabulary has brought in duty sheets and is monitoring the hours of senior officers so they have obviously learnt something from the experience."