A WOMAN was charged with drink driving after her husband tipped off police while she was on the morning school run.

Emily Colbourne, 33, of Nep Close in Henfield had been out to the pub the night before and when she returned home late an argument broke out between her and her husband.

The mother-of-four went to bed to sleep, but when she woke up on December 1 last year, her husband was still arguing with her.

Mr Rogers, defending, told Worthing Magistrates Court how his client was eager to get the children to school and out of the frosty atmosphere in the home.

After she left the house, police received a call alleging she was over the legal limit to drive.

Ms Colbourne, who has four children aged between three months and 11 years, was spotted coming out of a shop and getting into her car before driving.

She was pulled over by in School Road, Upper Beeding, by a firearms team in the area and was arrested.

After being taken to Worthing Custody, she blew 57/100, exceeding the legal limit to drive.

Mr Rogers said: "She would never put her children at risk. She would never do that.

"She was anxious to make sure her children got to school despite the tensions going on at home."

He also questioned why the husband had not told her not to drive instead of alerting the police after she had left the house.

Prosecuting, Mr Sherlock, asked for a custodial sentence to be considered, stating the defendant had a previous charge relating to drink driving in 2005 and that there were children in the vehicle at the time of the arrest.

The chair of the bench banned Ms Colbourne from driving for 36 months, fined her £110, ordered her to pay costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £20.

She said: "You have been through all this ten years ago, and now the same applies."

When asked whether she could pay any of the fine, Ms Colbourne said: "I don't have any credit cards or anything. I'm bankrupt."

The court was told the fines would come out of the combined income of the couple, who are still together.