A WOMAN has been banned from the roads after she fled the scene of crash outside a pub caused by her careless driving.

Police were called to the entrance of the Merlin Country Pub & Restaurant at around 8.50pm on September 15 last year following the collision.

Catherine Andrews, driving an Audi Q3, had failed to give way at the junction with Alderley Road before she crashed into a Renault Kadjar, causing it to overturn.

Despite causing the serious crash, the 66-year-old drove off and made her way to her home in Holly Road North, Wilmslow.

After initial inquiries at the scene, police officers identified Andrews as the culprit and arrested her at home.

She was given a drink-drive test in custody, which revealed she had 131 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, exceeding the limit of 80.

Andrews was charged with drink-driving, failing to stop after a collision and driving without due care and attention.

Appearing at court on March 14, Andrews admitted to the latter charges, but denied drink-driving.

Ahead of a trial date set in July, the drink-driving charge was discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service on April 23.

Andrews appeared at Crewe Magistrates Court on May 20, where she was sentenced on the remaining charges.

The bench handed her a 12-month community order, in which she must complete 160 hours of unpaid work.

She was also disqualified from driving for 10 months.

A police spokesman said: "Rather than stopping at the scene, Andrews drove away from the scene in the direction of the roundabout and the general direction of her home address, showing no care for the safety of the occupants in the Renault Kadjar she had just collided with.

"Following enquiries at the scene, the defendant’s vehicle and her home address were identified.

"The Audi Q3, was located outside her home address. The vehicle had extensive front nearside damage, consistent with the circumstances of the collision."

District crown prosecutor Sarah Gray, of CPS Mersey Cheshire’s Magistrates’ Court Unit, said: “The evidence in this case was gathered by Cheshire Police and passed to the Crown Prosecution Service.

"The CPS has a duty to keep all cases under continual review.

"After a further review of the file, it was decided that there was insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction on the drink-driving charge and this element of the case was discontinued."