Wolverhampton student drove into PCSO after drinking

Kiranpreet Rai was landed in trouble after being cajoled into downing a plastic cup of neat vodka in one gulp, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

The officer was knocked down trying to stop the 19-year-old University of Wolverhampton student from driving away from the Bentley Mill Retail Park in Walsall where he had earlier seen her looking 'the worse for wear,' said Mr Kevin Jones prosecuting. The 52-year-old was thrown onto the bonnet of the vehicle but was able to roll off as Rai continued her journey leaving him lying in the road.

Luckily, he escaped with bruising and shock after the incident on February 6.

The student later handed herself in to police and it was estimated that she was likely to have been twice the drink-drive limit at the time of the incident, concluded Mr Jones. Mr Geoffrey Loach, defending, explained that she had been put under pressure by older men to down the vodka and had not drunk alcohol before.

Mr Loach said: "Clearly she was not in a fit state to get behind the wheel of a car."

Rai, of Saxon Fields, Tettenhall, pleaded guilty to driving dangerously, while unfit through alcohol and assault and was given an eight-month period of detention in a young offenders institute, suspended for two years, with 120 hours unpaid work.

She was further banned from driving for two years and ordered to pay £500 compensation to the officer she drove into.

Recorder Christopher Goodchild told her: "Fortunately he did not suffer any really serious injuries but he was a public servant doing a job and he was knocked down by you when you were in drink. You used your car as a weapon."

He said she was a hard-working young woman of previous good character with a promising future ahead of her whom he did not expect to see in a court dock again.