A MUM who tested eight times the drug driving limit after a cocaine binge has escaped with just a £120 fine.
Charli Charalambous, 34, from Prenton in Merseyside, failed a roadside drugs test after being stopped in her Audi A3 Sport by police the day after a night out with friends.
The mum had more breakdown products from cocaine in her system than cops could record in subsequent blood tests.
At Wirral magistrates court Charalambous admitted drug driving but claimed she felt fine to drive due to having 12 hours sleep before she took to the road.
Her lawyer Rebecca Boswell said: ''She had been out the night before. She had gone home and had 12 hours sleep.
"She got up, had something to eat and got out in the day. She felt fine.
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"She not believe that was still in her system. The cocaine was not in her system.
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"It was the cocaine breakdown product that was in her system."
“She has been driving since 18 and has no driving convictions, and no previous convictions at all.
Ms Boswell added: "She is a mum of a one year old child and working in admin.
"A driving disqualification is going to make it very difficult going forward.
“She is a single parent who wants to get back into work but that is now going to be extremely limited to her.''
Angela Blackmore, prosecuting, said: “The incident took place on November 17.
"Officer Gunson on that day around 3 stopped an Audi vehicle on Old Chester Road, Wirral.
"The defendant was driving the vehicle and she was asked to provide a sample of saliva at the roadside, which was positive for cocaine.
“She found herself arrested and taken to the police station where samples of blood were taken for analysis.
"The reading of which when forensically analysed was greater than 400 micrograms, over the specified limit of 50, for benzoylecgonine, which is the breakdown metabolite for cocaine.
“She has no previous convictions though she has three fixed penalties for being drunk and disorderly.”
Charalambous was also banned from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay £168 in costs and victim surcharge.
The magistrates said: “It is always disappointing, Miss Charalambous, to see a person of previous good character for an offence such as this."
"You lose that good character by way of this conviction."
“We are not dealing with the reasons why you were stopped but the police did have grounds to request a roadside drug test from you and when that was completed the offence that you are here for was found to have taken place.
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“A disqualification from driving in cases such as this is inevitable.
"It does create an impact on yourself and your employment prospects but these are all the consequences of your own actions. It is important that you remember that."
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