A MOTHER found drunk in charge of a child on licensed premises in Kendal had consumed two bottles of wine in less than an hour, a court heard.

The offence, committed in the town on the evening of February 19, was admitted by the woman when she appeared before South Lakeland magistrates.

Officers attended the licensed premises in the evening after concern was expressed about the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

MORE TOP STORIES:

People in the room were ‘very loud and swearing at each other’, said Lisa Hine, prosecuting, said the woman was tearful, hard to understand and heard to be slurring her speech.

She claimed to have consumed two bottles of wine ‘in less than an hour’, and stated that she was capable of looking after a child. However, she was unable to account for two hours earlier in the day and was seen by police to stagger into a table and knock a glass over.

The youngster was ‘thankfully unfazed’ by what was happening, the court heard.

John Batty, defending, said the woman admitted she had drunk a ‘ridiculous’ amount of alcohol that day. She claimed not to have a drink problem, usually only consuming half a bottle of wine once a week.

On the day of the offences the woman had opted to ‘drown her sorrows’ amid pressures in her personal life.

Magistrates fined her £75 for being drunk in charge of a child, and she must also pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.