BACKGROUND reports have been ordered into a 46-year-old woman who admitted driving while more than five times the legal alcohol limit.

Michelle Ross pleaded guilty to driving with a urine/alcohol count of 344 milligrammes – the legal limit being 67 – at Wilton Hill in Hawick, on March 4.

Prosecutor India MacLean told the court the time of the offence was 3.15pm when Ross was travelling on the A7 in Hawick and her 15-year-old son felt the car swaying across the carriageway and his mother was mumbling her words.

She continued: “He became concerned and asked her to stop and she has not done so. 

“He suspected she had been drinking and asked her to pull over. He got out of the car and flagged down passing paramedics.

“She told the paramedics she had something to drink and they contacted the police.”

Defence lawyer Ross Dow said his client had been in an abusive relationship and had turned to alcohol but she was now getting help with her drinking.

Sheriff Donald Ferguson said the circumstances behind the offence were very concerning.

He added: “This could have ended up an absolute catastrophe.”

Ross, of Park Crescent, Newtown St Boswells, had sentence deferred until December 16 for the production of a Criminal Justice Social Work Report and a Restriction of Liberty Order assessment.