A WOMAN caught drink-driving in Chester on Christmas Day had recently found her partner of several years had been living a parallel life with a wife and children in Spain.

Paulina Olobacha Chiliquinga, 32, of Kempton Close, Chester, pleaded guilty to driving a white Mini while more than double the drink-drive limit on the night of December 25.

Prosecuting at Chester Magistrates Court on Friday, January 19, Jessica Pridding said police were on Liverpool Road when they noted the driver of the Mini was reacting slowly to changing lights and was moving over the lines, swerving into the offside lane.

Chiliquinga was stopped and failed a roadside breath test. In custody, Chiliquinga gave a reading of 91 microgrammes per 100 millilitres of breath, compared to the legal limit of 35.

She had no previous convictions.

Defending, John Dove said Chiliquinga was from Spain and had been living in the UK for some time, and had a long-term partner for five years.

However, a couple of weeks prior to the offence, the defendant found that, for several years, her partner had a parallel life where he had a family - a wife and children - living in Spain.

On Christmas Day, Chiliquinga helped out a friend with a shift at a Chester restaurant from noon to 9.30pm. At the end of that shift, they stayed behind for drinks and the defendant accepted she had too much to drink and "made the foolish mistake to drive home", on what would have been a short journey.

The defendant, who had worked with corporate clients at the Bank of America, intended to return to Spain to work in international finance, the court heard.

Magistrates imposed a 23-month driving ban. In addition, Chiliquinga must pay a £769 fine, a £308 victim surcharge and £120 court costs.