Lyndsey Huggett in King’s Lynn court after failing to provide specimen for analysis in Heacham

A 43-year-old woman wound up in court after being caught in the passenger’s seat of her car with a bottle of vodka – despite having no intention to drive.

Lyndsey Huggett, of Hulton Road in Gaywood, appeared at Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday charged with failing to provide a specimen for analysis as someone in charge of a vehicle.

She pleaded guilty to the offence, which she committed on December 6. On that date, police had been called to Tesco Express in Heacham after a member of staff spotted Huggett in the car park, sat in her vehicle, holding a bottle of vodka while “looking distressed”.

Crown prosecutor Asif Akram told the court that officers were “struck by the overwhelming smell of alcohol” when they opened the car doors, and therefore requested that Huggett carry out a roadside breath test.

However, she refused to do so despite being given a number of opportunities, and was subsequently arrested.

While in custody, Huggett said: “I was sitting there, I didn’t do anything.”

That argument was echoed by solicitor Tiffany Meredith, who represented Huggett in court. She said the defendant had been sat in the passenger seat throughout the entire ordeal, with the car keys far away from the ignition.

“She had made arrangements to be picked up – she wasn’t in the driver’s seat,” Ms Meredith said.

“Despite her impairment, she had taken steps to make clear that she wasn’t going to be driving.”

Huggett has had problems involving alcohol in the past, Ms Meredith added, and she was “struggling” on the morning of her offence.

Huggett did not recall much of the meeting with the police as she had “drank a lot”, and “doesn’t really know why she refused” to provide a sample.

“She says that she is doing okay now – those are her words,” the solicitor said.

“She has had help with drinking in the past, but it is a demon that never quite goes away.”

Ms Meredith concluded by telling magistrates that were they to impose a driving ban on Huggett, she would be certain to lose her job in Burnham Market.

The bench instead opted to add ten penalty points to the defendant’s licence for her offence.

Huggett will also pay a £300 fine, £120 victim surcharge and £105 in legal costs.