Olympics dressage coach banned from driving after being found to be three times over the limit in sponsored Land Rover Discovery
- Tracie Robinson, 52, was three times over legal alcohol limit
- Banned from driving for two years and given community order
- Experienced dressage coach trained British Olympics eventing team
By Sam Adams
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Over the limit: Olympics dressage coach Tracie Robinson has been banned from driving for two years
One of Team GB’s top equestrian coaches has been banned from the roads after driving at almost three times the legal alcohol limit in her sponsored Land Rover Discovery.
Police arrested Tracie Robinson - who coached dressage to the eventing performance team which won silver at the London 2012 Games - after a member of the public reported seeing her swerving across the road and mounting the pavement.
The 52-year-old admitted she had been behind the wheel when officers knocked on the door of a house she had parked outside.
When Robinson was breathalysed, she gave a reading of 92 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.
Robinson was banned from driving for two years and handed a year-long community with 80 hours of unpaid work.
She was also told to pay £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.
She has been Team GB’s dressage trainer since 2001 and contributed to their eventual success in the London Olympics.
Leicester Magistrates’ Court heard a member of the public called the police after seeing Robinson’s Land Rover Discovery weaving about the road in Lutterworth, Leicestershire, on January 22.
Prosecutor Kwok Wan said: 'At about 11pm, officers at Lutterworth police station heard a loud bang and looked out of the window. They noticed there was damage to fencing near the fire station but no vehicle was in sight.
Success: The British eventing team - which Robinson helped coach - goes on a lap of honour after winning silver at London 2012 (from left to right) Zara Phillips, Kristina Cook, Mary King, Nicola Wilson and William Fox-Pitt)
'Twelve minutes later, police received a call from a member of the public who said he was following a vehicle which seemed to be driven by someone who was under the influence.
'The vehicle had been seen driving slowly, at some point at 20 mph, before speeding up, mounting pavements and swerving over the carriageway.
Expertise: Mrs Robinson (right) has been involved in coaching Team GB since 2001
Mr Wan said the member of public followed the Land Rover until it parked on a driveway in Peatling Parva, Leicestershire.
He added that police went to the
address and spoke to Robinson, who admitted she had been driving the
car.
Robinson of Peatling Parva, pleaded guilty to driving while over the drink drive limit.
Imogen Cox, defending, said her client was of previous good character and full of remorse for the incident.
She added that Robinson was more worried about the effect her conviction would have on the GB dressage team than herself - and asked magistrates to restrict the length of the ban.
Miss Cox told the hearing: 'She has lost her sponsored vehicle and will have to buy her own car and pay a driver.
'She did it. She is prepared to take the punishment she deserves for this offence.
'These are exceptional circumstances.'
The court heard Robinson had already paid out £5,000 to have the Land Rover repaired. She declined to comment after the hearing.
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This story does not explain the true facts as follows: Mrs Robinson was followed for a total distance of 12 miles - YES 12 MILES at almost 3 times over the legal limit, veering over both sides of the carriageway causing oncoming traffic to take evasive action. She narrowly missed driving through the front door of Lutterworth Police Station, drove through the Fire Station fence smashing into the front of a parked Ford Fiesta causing a lot of stress and inconvenience to the disabled lady owner plus almost £5000 worth of damage to the disabled ladies parked car not to mention the damage to the fence and to Mrs Robinsons vehicle. She then continued her journey to her home address a further 5 miles up the road. So maybe anybody that has left "leave her alone comments" or similar may want to put yourselves in the shoes of the poor innocent victims of Mrs Robinsons actions. Mrs Robinson said "I'm ashamed to say I cannot even remember getting into the car". Should have been locked up instead !
- CJR , Lutterworth, United Kingdom, 03/3/2013 10:08
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