Drunk woman who drove mobility scooter on wrong side of Edinburgh road banned

The woman was stopped by officers driving along Western Approach Road last year.

Christine Bey had a bottle of whisky on her lap as she headed into oncoming traffic while travelling in her scooter along the capital’s Western Approach Road last year.

Bey, 43, was spotted by concerned members of the public who saw her driving “erratically’ along the dual carriageway and called in the police.

Drunk woman drove mobility scooter on wrong side of road

Christine Bey
By Alexander Lawrie — Christine Bey By Alexander Lawrie

But after cops stopped her and tried to take her bottle of whisky away Bey became abusive by shouting “piggy b*******s” before spitting in the face of PC Euan Murray.

Officers were forced to place a spit hood over the drunk and abusive woman who was later revealed to be suffering from Hepatitis C.

PC Murray was forced to undergo blood tests over a six month period but was recently cleared of any Hepatitis infection.

Bey admitted driving under the influence of alcohol and to spitting on the officer when she appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month and returned yesterday for sentencing.

Sheriff Thomas Welsh QC told her she had carried out “a nasty incident” by spitting on the constable and ordered her to pay the officer £300 in compensation.

Bey, from Leith, was also banned from driving for 16 months and placed on a supervision order for the next 18 months.

Sheriff Welsh also ordered Bey to remain within her home address between 7pm and 7am for four months.

Previously the court was told Bey was seen driving her scooter “erratically” and into the face of oncoming traffic by concerned passers-by at around 9.50pm on January 9 last year.

Prosecutor Rachel Aedy said: “The accused was seen by members of the public driving her mobility scooter erratically and down the wrong side of the carriageway on the Western Approach Road.

“There were concerns for her safety and the police were contacted. Two officers attended and saw the accused driving the scooter towards oncoming traffic.

“The accused smelled strongly of alcohol and the view of the officers was that she was heavily intoxicated.

“She had a bottle of whisky on board and found it difficult to sit up and was slurring her words.”

The fiscal added police were forced to wrestle the scooter’s keys and the bottle of whisky from Bey’s grip and that she “continued to ask for her bottle of whisky back”.

Bey, 43, refused any medical treatment and had to be placed in a holding cell and had the spit hood placed over her head when she was taken to St Leonard’s police station.

Ms Aedy confirmed the officer who was spat on has now been given the all clear.

Yesterday Neil Martin, defending, said his client had taken steps to address her problems by cutting down on her alcohol intake and engaging with the female welfare group the Willow Project.

Mr Martin added the scooter taken from Bey has been seized and destroyed and that walking has left her feeling “pain and discomfort”.