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Drink driver reversed into man trying to stop her and pulled away with him clinging to bonnet

A drink driver reversed into a man attempting to stop her before pulling away with him clinging to the bonnet of her car outside a dental surgery, a court heard.

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Caroline Chappell, who was later found to be three times over the limit, left the dentist's car park, while the man, Mr Warren Grant, fell after being struck by the wing mirror.

At Stafford Crown Court, Chappell, aged 52, was jailed for a year after the judge saw CCTV footage of the incident, off the Riverway in Stafford.

Chappell, of Flaxman Close, Barlaston admitted causing bodily harm by wanton and furious driving, failing to stop after an accident, having no insurance and no licence.

She was convicted by magistrates of driving with excess alcohol following a trial and banned from driving for 28 months.

Judge Carmel Wall told her: "I have seen on the video what happened.

"For Mr Grant this must have been a very frightening incident. He went over to remonstrate with you and take details in order to report matters to the police.

"It is only good fortune that he was not seriously injured by the way you drove at him. It was a deliberate piece of driving, designed to cause injury to somebody."

Mr David Swinnerton, prosecuting, said Mr Grant was on his way to pick up his girlfriend on January 21 this year, driving behind the defendant's Mercedes, which was stalling and 'kangarooing' along Riverway.

On his way back he saw the Mercedes on the dentist's car park as if it was abandoned and Chappell coming out of the surgery where she had been to ask for directions.

Mr Grant stopped to get the registration number and moved to the rear of the Mercedes. Chappell then reversed slowly towards him and collided with his upper body. He tried to stop her leaving the car park and was on the bonnet as she headed towards the exit, before rolling off the wing.

Mr Grant did not seek medical attention right away, but when he woke up the next morning with soreness to his ribs, shoulder, neck and knee he went to hospital for a check-up.

Police arrested Chappell a couple of hours later and a breath test gave a reading of 110mcg, more than three times the legal limit of 35.

She also told officers she wasn't allowed to drive - the DVLA had stopped her because of the medication she was on. She had bought the Mercedes in the hope of getting her licence back but had no recollection of running anyone down.

Mr Swinnerton said Chappell had an 'atrocious' record for drink-driving offences, including a five-year ban in 1998. Her conviction over this incident was her fifth drink-related motoring offence.

Mr Stephen Rudge, defending, said: "She felt intimidated by the other driver. He is clearly taller than she is. She reversed slowly, he gets in front of the vehicle but he doesn't fall to the ground."

Chappell had been battling the 'twin demons' of drink and drugs but had reverted back to alcohol.

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