A WOMAN was four times the drink-drive limit when she drove into a family car before fleeing the scene, a court heard.

Kelly Lousie Myers could be heading to prison after she admitted charges of driving without due care and attention and drink-driving at Darlington Magistrates' Court yesterday.

The court heard that the 24-year-old, of Myrtle Gardens, in the Harrowgate Hill area of Darlington, was found by police to be so drunk that she could not stand.

James Thomas, prosecuting, said the incident happened in Longfield Road, but Myers did not stop at the scene. He said: "Officers were called to Myrtle Gardens at 9.40pm on January 5, after a 999 call from a woman saying someone had run into the back of her vehicle and driven off."

When they arrived at the scene, officers were met by the woman who made the call who pointed them in the direction of Myers, who was sitting in her stationary car by the side of the road.

Mr Thomas said: "They got her to leave the vehicle and it became apparent that she needed to be assisted in standing up. Her eyes were very red and swollen and officers immediately took the view that she had been drinking."

Myers told officers she had drunk three or four cans of lager. She was arrested and taken to Darlington police station, where a test revealed she had 141 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit being 35 microgrammes.

Mr Thomas said the results of the test were put to her, and she admitted that she may have drunk more than three or four cans.

Headded: "She couldn't recall why she had driven. She was aware she should not have driven after drinking."

Carl Swift, mitigating, asked for sentencing to be adjourned to allow for the Probation Service to compile a report into the most suitable course of action.

The bench agreed, and indicated that they believed a jail term would be the most appropriate course, although they emphasised that the sentencing bench could divert from this custody steering.

Chairwoman of the bench Judith Jeffrey said: "Our starting point is 12 weeks' custody. It has been aggravated by the fact there was a young family in the vehicle with which you collided, you didn't stop and it was a very high reading."

Sentencing will take place on Thursday, at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court.