Bay mum drank mug of vodka then collected six-year-old girl from school

A DRUNKEN mum who picked her six-year-old daughter up from school after downing a mug of vodka has been told she faces a prison sentence.

Kalia Scarman, 35, of Prospect Hill, Herne Bay, was more than FOUR times the legal limit when she drove to Canterbury to collect the youngster.

Magistrates described her alcohol reading as "off the scale" when she appeared at court in Canterbury last Wednesday.

The court was told how mum-of-two Scarman staggered and fell over as she collected her daughter from Pilgrims Way Primary School just after 3pm on Monday, June 8.

Horrified parents watched as the alcoholic clambered into her purple Ford Escort, buckled her daughter into the front seat and drove off.

Police were alerted and rushed to Scarman's home to find her sitting on the stairs.

She told officers she had not been drinking and when asked to take a breathalyser test, replied: "You might as well arrest me then. I'm not doing it."

She eventually changed her mind and was arrested at 4.25pm after failing a breath test.

She was taken to Canterbury police station and a further test showed a reading of 144 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath – the legal limit is just 35.

Prosecuting, Julie Farbrace said Scarman then admitted driving her car after drinking a "builder's mug" of neat vodka.

Mrs Farbrace said: "She told police she had gone to the school to pick her daughter up and had not had a drink since she arrived home.

"She said she had drunk a builder's mug of neat vodka about an hour, or an hour-an-a-half, before she left.

"But she said she did not stagger or fall in front of other parents and experienced no problems when driving the car."

Defending, Charlotte Collette said Scarman admitted her decision to drive had been "extremely stupid".

She said: "She is grateful nothing happened and no injury was caused to anyone else.

"She accepts she has an alcohol problem which started three years ago when her mum passed away.

"She has been referred for alcohol treatment and also suffers from depression.

"At time of the incident she wasn't taking her medication which may have affected her judgement."

Miss Collette added that Social Services had been involved with the family since the beginning of April.

She said Scarman was now living with her father in Elizabeth Court, Herne Bay and her daughter and 12-week-old baby were staying with their dad.

Adjourning sentencing for three weeks, chairman of the magistrates Diana Showan told Scarman: "This reading is almost off our scale of guidance. It's at the very top.

"There was potential harm to other pupils, their parents and road users. This is very, very serious.

"It's so serious that the bench must consider passing a custodial sentence."

Scarman handed in her driving licence and was bailed to appear at the same court on Wednesday, July 15.

She is also due to appear on Tuesday, July 21 accused of being drunk in charge of a child under seven.