A businesswoman who consumed Pinot Grigio and tequila at the launch of a cocktail bar and then drove home in her luxury Porsche was reportedly so intoxicated she could only move on her knees, a court was informed.
Julie Wynn-Griffiths, 55, was reported by a concerned motorist who watched her careering around in her £70,000 Macan SUV – with the boot wide open.
When officers arrived at her £500,000 cottage, the recruitment consultant, who had knocked back white wine and Tequila, was unable to stand up.
Instead, a court heard, she had to ”shuffle herself” on her knees to get around.
Wynn-Griffiths, of Alderley Edge, Cheshire, admitted drink driving but claimed her drink must have been spiked.
The incident occurred on April 18 after mother-of-one Wynn-Griffiths and an air hostess friend attended the opening of Aura bar in nearby Wilmslow.
During the hearing at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Monday, Prosecutor Simon Leong stated: ‘At around 11:15 pm, another driver who had parked next to the BP garage returned to his car and noticed the defendant.
‘She was unsteady on her feet, stumbling around and, in his opinion, visibly drunk.
Julie Wynn-Griffiths claimed her drink had been spiked while chatting to two men in bar
‘The motorist saw her collapse onto his car, causing no damage, before getting back on her feet and then unlocking her vehicle.
‘While trying to enter her vehicle, she accidentally opened the boot, yet didn’t realize it. She proceeded to the driver’s seat and started the ignition. Fearing she might collide with him, he moved his car away.
‘He then followed her, describing her as “being all over the place” and driving “over the central white line”.’
Mr Leong added the concerned motorist followed Wynn and called police. When she eventually parked, the Porsche’s boot remained wide open.
The prosecutor said officers who attended ‘noted the car engine was still warm and knocked on the defendant’s front door’.
Mr Leong said: ‘It was opened and the defendant was seen sat on her knees.
‘The officer could immediately spell intoxicants and formed the opinion that she was drunk.
‘The defendant was observed shuffling on her knees into the living room. She seemed unable to stand and had to navigate around on her knees.
‘She was asked for a sample and if she had been drinking. She said ‘Yes’ and was then arrested.’
Wynn-Griffiths – who ‘careered over white lines’ with her boot open – arrives at court
Tests later showed Wynn-Griffiths had 100 micrograms of alcohol in 100 mililtres of breath, almost three times the legal limit.
She lodged a formal complaint alleging her drink had been tampered with, but CCTV footage captured her holding a ‘large glass’ and visiting the bar multiple times.
Testifying in court, Wynn-Griffiths, who is a full-time caregiver for her 31-year-old autistic son, expressed she would never be so ‘foolish’ as to drive under the influence, due to the risk of losing her license.
She added: ‘I know it would affect my son profoundly because he cannot drive.’
Recalling her evening, she said she had bought a glass of Pinot Grigio and was with her friend before ‘two men came over and we started chatting’.
She said: ‘My friend left at 10pm as she was on standby (for work) the next day and one of the guys said ‘Do you want a drink?’ I said ‘Yes, please.’
‘He came back with what I believe was tequila. I thought he was going to get me another glass of wine. I cannot remember anything after that.’
Wynn-Griffiths agreed she had the tequila with lemon and salt, plus a second glass of wine.
When shown CCTV of her leaving the bar, Wynn-Griffiths admitted: ‘I looked terrible and I was shocked at how I could not even walk.
‘I am absolutely positive they put something in my drink.’
She claimed she could not remember driving home, police attending, or being breathalysed, adding: ‘It was horrific being in a police cell.’
Rob Kellock, defending, said: ‘She has given evidence of feeling extremely poorly, unwell, depressed, a loss of memory, anxious, all of which would be consistent with some form of date rape type drug.’
But magistrate Helen Jarman told Wynn-Griffiths: ‘We do not find your version of events credible.’
She was fined £876, plus £462 in costs and a surcharge, and banned from driving for 26 months.
