CONCERNED by the manner of Alice Edwards’ driving, police pursued the Malmesbury woman and were led on a 16 minute high-speed chase.

They saw her ignore red traffic lights, drive on the wrong side of the road to avoid pedestrians and evade a stinger by mounting the pavement, in Swindon.

The 24-year-old was eventually stopped in Royal Wootton Bassett where they found her in a distressed state.

When she appeared before magistrates from custody on Monday morning the 24-year-old pleaded guilty to driving the X-reg VW Polo dangerously in the early hours of Saturday morning.

She also pleaded guilty to a further charge of failing to provide a specimen of breath for analysis.

The court heard from prosecutor Michelle Hewitt that Edwards, of Newnton Grove, Malmesbury, had taken police on a 16 minute chase through the streets of Swindon and Royal Wootton Bassett shortly before 3am.

“They say that during that 16 minutes they were following her she went through two sets of red lights on Marlborough Road, and on Faringdon Road. She went through another one at junction 16 of the M4,” she said, explaining that the chase had also seen her weaving onto the opposite side of the carriageway and driving the wrong side of a number of keep left bollards.

At various points during the chase they clocked her driving between 50 and 60mph in a 30 zone, and driving on the wrong side of bollards on the Magic Roundabout to avoid a stinger that had been placed in the road.

She also mounted the pavement to avoid another stinger before she was finally stopped by another stinger in Royal Wootton Bassett at 3.05am when she was arrested.

Ms Hewitt further explained that officers could smell alcohol on her breath so ordered that she carry out a breath test. Her first specimen provided a reading of 32 microgrammes – which is three microgrammes under the limit – but she failed to provide the required second reading.

Defending her, Nicola Shaw told the court that her client was masking issues she had with alcohol misuse, but she had been engaging with self-help services of her own volition to tackle the problem.

She said: “She has moved into her own flat and was trying to work towards having a job,” she said.

“For some unknown reason she has started to engage with alcohol again and she has set herself up to fail again. She has no idea why she did it, she felt if she carried on driving it would all be okay.

“When she was pulled over she was red-faced and tearful, she was clearly in a very distressed state. If she had blown twice, chances are she would have been under.”

Chairman of the bench Viv Street told her that having heard her defence they would keep the matter in the magistrates court for now, and not send it on to the crown court.

They ordered that a pre-sentence report be prepared and released Edwards on conditional bail to remain at her home address between the hours of 7pm and 7am daily which would be electronically monitored. They also imposed an interim driving disqualification.