Drink-driving Virgin Airlines hostess who crashed at McDonald’s is temporarily banned from driving

A Virgin Airlines air hostess caught drink-driving at a McDonald’s drive-thru has walked free from court after blaming her offence on ‘naked human frailty’ due to being in a toxic romance.

Samantha Sutcliffe, 38, drank white wine then crashed her BMW into a bollard whilst buying a lunch time BigMac meal early in November- testing as nearly two and a half times over the alcohol limit.

When quizzed about her 1.15pm arrest, the mother-of-one from Scarisbrick near Ormskirk, Lancashire, told police: ‘I did not think I was over the limit but clearly I was.’

Her solicitor later claimed she had been at a ‘low ebb’ from coming out of an abusive relationship which has since ended.

Samantha Sutcliffe, 38, tested as nearly two and a half times over the alcohol limit following her crash into a bollard whilst buying a lunch time BigMac meal in Southport during November

At Sefton magistrates court, Lionel Cope, prosecuting, said: ‘The incident took place on November 1 when Miss Sutcliffe was driving a white BMW in the Kew area of Southport.

‘She attended a McDonald’s restaurant drive thru and upon ordering the food the staff thought she may have been under the influence.

‘Police were contacted and on arrival officers thought she seemed to be under the influence of alcohol.’

Mr Cope said that Sutcliffe’s test results showed that she had 86 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

The legal alcohol limit for driving is 35mg.

Mr Cope continued: ‘In interview, she admitted the offence. She said, “I did not think I was over the limit but clearly I was”.

‘Damage was caused when driving into a bollard or railings. She has no previous convictions.’

Sutcliffe’s solicitor said that prior to the incident she had ‘drank fairly steadily over the weekend, was struggling to sleep and described herself as being at absolute rock bottom’

Solicitor Frank Rogers, representing Sutcliffe, said: ‘It was not deliberate recklessness. It was naked human frailty. A woman emerging from a difficult relationship, hitting rock bottom and facing up to the reality of her situation but who in every other respect is a woman of good character.’   

‘This is a woman of hitherto impeccable character. She is a single parent, juggling full-time and part-time jobs and coming out of an abusive relationship.

‘The weekend had brought her to an all-time low ebb. She said she was at rock bottom. Having been drinking for a while over the weekend she made a wrong judgement call deciding to drive.’

Mr Rogers said that her driving record prior to the incident was ‘immaculate’ and she had owned a licence for 21 years with no speeding offences and bans. 

He claimed that the incident was ‘out of character’ for Sutcliffe as a result.

Mr Rogers continued: ‘She is a long-haul air steward for Virgin Airlines. She works unsocial hours. She works so many days on and then has seven days off. 

‘The loss of her driving license, which is of course inevitable, will make getting to work in Manchester incredibly difficult because of the hours for flying and also because she has to get from Scarisbrick to Liverpool and then to Manchester.

‘The reliability of trains, irrespective of the strikes, is not great. So, the job is in the balance but she’s asked Virgin to alter her rota and they have been incredibly supportive.’

Sutcliffe was fined £300, ordered to pay costs and a £240 victim surcharge at court

Mr Rogers referred to character references, including from a catering company that Sutcliffe started working for during the pandemic, and which she continues to help part time.

He continued: ‘They are keen to keep her on and somehow work around the ban.

‘I think those references speak volumes. She had been in a violent and abusive controlling relationship for about a year which ended after this incident.

‘She was emotionally at rock bottom. Her and some friends and her son had been abroad on holiday. On return the son went to stay with his father so she was at home on her own.

‘Coming back to the reality and to face the relationship she left behind, she could not cope. She drank fairly steadily over the weekend, was struggling to sleep and described herself as being at absolute rock bottom.

‘She had two glasses of wine and tried to order some food but was unsuccessful. Foolishly, she decided to drive the short distance which she could’ve walked. She ordered the fast food. She drove around the bend, misjudged that, and hit the bollard.’

Mr Rogers also explained that Sutcliffe was seeking professional help for her issues. 

He added: ‘There is confirmation from the assistant manager at McDonald’s that there had already been some damage there.

‘Police describe her as calm and compliant, so there is a lot to be said for her.’

Sutcliffe admitted to drink-driving and was fined £300, ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge of £240. 

She has also been banned from driving for 17 months but offered the option to take the drink drive awareness course which will reduce this ban by a quarter.

Mr Rogers asked that the court fine her rather than sentence her to community order, he said she earns £1,200 per month net and added that there was no alcohol dependency prior to this episode.

He also said that she went to McDonald’s the day after the incident to apologise for what happened and offer payment for any damage caused.

He added: ‘She knows she will pay a heavy price. She is embarrassed and remorseful. She knows that she has let herself and her 13-year-old son down.’