An 18-year-old is facing the prospect of losing her right to cheap car insurance for women as well as having to fork out for a new vehicle after her Ford Ka plunged into Hartlepool Marina.
Trainee accountant Stacey Carey had been drinking with a friend, Sarah Lewis, when she decided to let her pal have a spin in her shiny new car. Within seconds, however, the tipsy chum accidentally hit the accelerator instead of the brake, sending the car and the two occupants plummeting into the water.
The girls managed to climb out of a window and watched in despair as the vehicle sank beneath the surface. Lucky not to be dragged down with the sinking car, they were assisted by a passing fireman and managed to climb back onto dry land.
At Hartlepool Magistrates' Court, chairwoman of the bench, Christine Mulgrew, fined Miss Carey £200 for drink driving, banned her from the road for a year, fined her a further £50 for aiding and abetting drink driving and told her to pay court costs of £40.
Sarah Lewis attended an earlier hearing at the court and, after pleading guilty to drink driving and having no car insurance, was ordered to pay £200 in fines, £40 in costs and was also banned from driving for a year.
According to industry experts, both girls will now find it difficult to get a cheap car insurance deal when their bans are finally completed. They could, however, approach a specialist car insurance for women provider and attempt to get a premium that doesn't break the bank.