An AMMANFORD mum of two has been told she was lucky to escape jail after crashing her car while almost five times the legal drink-drive limit.

Patricia Dawn Bullions, of 21 Grenig Road, had downed half a bottle of vodka before losing control of her Peugeot 207 on Heol Ddu at 2.40pm on November 14.

Ammanford magistrates were told tests showed Bullions, 35, had 388 milligrammes of alcohol in her blood when she collided with a lamppost. The legal limit is 80 milligrammes.

The court heard how Bullions, a bank clerk, had been staying with her parents at the time of the incident but had stormed out of the property during an argument.

Gerald Neave, prosecuting, described how Bullions lost control of her vehicle and struck a grass bank before colliding with the lamp post. Bullions escaped the smash unharmed.

She told officers that she had little recollection of the incident.

"All she could remember was drinking half a bottle of vodka before driving off from her parents’ house," said Mr Neave.

Andrew Scott, defending, told the court that Bullions had a longstanding struggle with depression and, at the time of the incident, was downing at least half a bottle of gin every day.

"In the middle of last year she turned to alcohol and a substantial addiction developed," said Mr Scott.

He described how Bullions had attended the world famous Priory Clinic for substance abuse in a bid to battle her alcohol problems, but following her release she had been beset by a series of personal issues.

"It was too much for her to deal with and unfortunately she relapsed," he told the court.

"In the week preceding the incident she drank copious amounts of alcohol.

"She had an argument with her parents and foolishly decided to leave the house and drive a short distance – a decision she wholeheartedly regrets."

Mr Scott described the incident as "a salutary lesson," claiming Bullions had not touched alcohol since the smash.

"She is confident she has completely defeated her addiction," said Mr Scott.

Magistrates sentenced Bullions to 12 weeks in jail, suspended for a year.

She was banned from driving for 30 months, ordered to undergo 12 months supervision and carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

"You are very lucky that you are not going to jail," said magistrates.

Bullions was also ordered to pay £85 costs.