Woman took bus for drive after night drinking vodka and wine
A WOMAN took a bus from outside its driver's home after a night spent drinking vodka and red wine, a court heard.
Autistic Stefanie Lake, who only has a provisional licence, was more than twice the legal limit for alcohol when she drove the minibus.
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GUILTY PLEAS: Stefanie Lake outside court
Lake, aged 25, took the Target Travel Mercedes vehicle for a spin after it was left unlocked with the keys in the ignition – but she returned it within minutes.
Lake, of Woodbury Gardens, West Park, admitted taking the minibus without consent on Thursday.
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She also pleaded guilty to drink-driving, driving without insurance and otherwise than in accordance with a licence.
Lake also admitted possession of cocaine because she was found with a trace of the drug when arrested.
Gareth Warden, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said the bus driver briefly left his vehicle unlocked and with the keys in the ignition in Cheriton Close in West Park at 9.30am.
He added: "When he returned, it was gone. He was looking for the bus when it drove past him and he saw the driver of the vehicle.
"He saw the bus park, the woman get out and go into a nearby address."
Mr Warden said police were called and arrested Lake inside the property.
He added officers who arrested her found she smelt of alcohol and she was breathalysed.
Mr Warden said she was found to have 78 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.
He added she told police in interview she had been out in the town the night before and was drinking red wine in the garden of a friend when she saw the bus.
Mr Warden said: "She said she started to laugh, sat in the driver's seat and drove the bus away.
"She admitted she got excited and drove it around but then she realised it was wrong and returned the bus."
He added she gave herself '10 out of 10' on a scale of drunkeness after drinking wine and vodka. The court heard she only had a provisional licence and was not insured to drive any vehicle.
John Haythorne, for Lake, said she had been diagnosed as autistic.
He added her flat was so full of hoarded 'bits and pieces' that she was staying with friends at Wembury Gardens.
Magistrates ordered a probation officer to prepare a report on her background before she is sentenced.
She was released on bail to return to face magistrates on June 15. Lake was given an interim driving ban.
Comments
by bryan_hobbs
Friday, June 15 2012, 12:59PM
“I know stef very well. She would never set out to hurt anyone and am sure she is very sorry for what she done. We all do stupid things when drunk even the most innocent of people. if she stole the bus and never returned it which she did return it. then the bus driver would have been in a predicament as the insurance company would say it was his fault for leaving the key in the ignition. so he should be thankful and has learned a valuable lesson with no consequences because if it was a genuine thief he would be in a worse situation right now”
by THUG82LIFE
Tuesday, May 22 2012, 9:02PM
“BRANT YOU OFF YOUR HEAD HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAH LEGEND HAHAHA”
by swoop4
Tuesday, May 22 2012, 8:28PM
“@BettyD - did she miss a lot of english lessons?”
by Johnny_Brant
Tuesday, May 22 2012, 5:03PM
“--Stef said 'i took a bus didnt kill or hurt any1'--
Right luv, some bloke in Cornwall gouged his girlfriends eyes out, it was in all the papers last week but i didn't see nowt in the herald about that”
by steflake
Tuesday, May 22 2012, 4:36PM
“betty u must be using a false name cuz there was no1 in my school with that name and u def dont no me cuz if u did ud no i was down reception every morning and afternoon taking medication i wasnt even alloud school unless i took medz so dnt talk about thing u no nothing about if u look up autism the r lots of different types,n as 4 the bloke that was going on about what could have happened i dont live me life by what could be i live my life by what is and i take responsibilty 4 what iv done as i am who ever u r saying "quell her" thats a tiny bit extreme i took a bus didnt kill or hurt any1 did i unlike the guy on page 3 that day with the tiny write up 4 raping 7 women u lot needa get lives n stop commenting on stuff u no nothing about. Stef Lake Bus Driver”
by Workitout
Sunday, May 20 2012, 8:13PM
“Lock up the Bus, Car or Spaceship.
Do not let the Loonies abuse the Transport.”
by Johnny_Brant
Sunday, May 20 2012, 8:03PM
“--'She drove it around but then she realised it was wrong and returned the bus'--
You should have at least picked up some passengers first to make a few bob missus.
Let people know beforehand next time, then they can book a trip to the Blackpool illuminations with you”
by Jamesrb
Sunday, May 20 2012, 3:00PM
“The bus driver should be prosecuted for leaving his bus unattended / unlocked with the keys in the ignition. If not against the law, it should be.”
by dodd30
Sunday, May 20 2012, 2:47PM
“Quell her”
by BettyD
Saturday, May 19 2012, 8:58PM
“She wasn't autistic at school, she was the class know it all, a proper little madam”