Helen Dugdale, a 57-year-old solicitor, has been banned from the road for the third time after admitting to drink-driving offenses that occurred on July 6 and August 11. This marks the fourth time Dugdale has been caught driving under the influence since 2013.
During the August 11 incident in Liverpool, Dugdale was found to be driving her VW Tiguan with a blood alcohol level of 95mg per 100ml of breath, nearly three times the legal limit of 35mg. Five weeks prior, on July 6, she was stopped in the same vehicle with a reading of 57mg.
Prosecutors stated that members of the public alerted the police on both occasions due to concerns about Dugdale's erratic driving. On the latter date, she had a passenger in her vehicle.
Dugdale, who practices motoring law and defends drivers in the Merseyside area, pleaded guilty to both charges. Her legal representative requested a psychological report and an adjournment for pre-sentence reports.
Carlisle Magistrates Court granted the adjournment but issued an immediate temporary driving ban. The chair of the bench warned Dugdale that she could face imprisonment if she violates the disqualification, which is effective immediately. She is scheduled to be sentenced on October 8.
This is not Dugdale's first encounter with drink-driving charges. In September 2017, she received a three-year driving ban and a £650 fine for her second offense. At that time, she was observed driving erratically and colliding with a kerb in Birkenhead. She was found to be nearly twice the legal alcohol limit. Dugdale had attributed her behavior to the stress of litigation following the collapse of her law partnership, which left her with significant debt, and indicated she was receiving treatment for depression.
Following the 2017 conviction, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal imposed a £15,000 fine on Dugdale in October of that year. Her first drink-driving conviction occurred in October 2013, resulting in an 18-month driving ban after she was found to be twice the legal alcohol limit. The details of this initial incident are not further specified in the provided notes.