A WOMAN refused to give a breath sample back at the police station after she was caught with a bottle of gin in her handbag in her car.

Danielle McLaughlan, 25, admitted refusing to give a sample after the Ballot Road resident was observed driving by an off-duty officer with her lights off and the vehicle weaving at 1.15am last month [November 14].

The court heard the car was then followed to Cambusdoon Place, Kilwinning before officers then attended with McLaughlan still in the vehicle with the engine running

McLaughlan was slurring her speech with a strong smell of drink before police found an open bottle of gin in her handbag.

McLaughlan was taken to Saltcoats Police Station to be processed but then refused to engage with officers with a breath sample.

Defence solicitor Peter Murray admitted his client had made poor choices and told the court she was ‘very upset about the situation she had gotten herself into’ .

He said McLaughlan would often travel to stay at her mother’s home but left after becoming upset and “clearly not in a fit state”.

Sheriff Alistair Watson fined the first-offender £420 and disqualified her for 20 months.