AN 'erratic' drink driver was almost three times the limit when she undertook a police car in her Lexus on the M5, a court heard.

Justyna Silcock denied she undertook the police car, however, and said officers had stopped her because they believed she had no insurance.

The 45-year-old finance director of Stephenson Road, Barbourne, Worcester, said the vehicle was insured but came up as not insured because she had recently changed the number plate to a personalised one.

She admitted driving with excess alcohol when she appeared before magistrates in Worcester on Thursday following the incident on the M5 near Worcester on March 19 this year.

The evidential specimen of breath was 100mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath - close to three times the limit of 35mcg.

Andrew Greenway, the chairman of the bench, told her: "Drink driving is a very serious matter. You were massively over the limit - nearly three times over. In many ways you are fortunate you did not hurt yourself badly or somebody else. It could have been awful."

Holly Sims, prosecuting, said officers were travelling from the M42 onto the M5 at around 8.30pm when the defendant's vehicle 'undertook a police vehicle' as it continued towards junction 5 (Droitwich).

Miss Sims said: "The vehicle was being driven erratically, undertaking several vehicles and swerving from lane to lane."

A police car ultimately pulled in front of Silcock's Lexus and illuminated lights with the words 'follow me'.

"Despite this, the defendant did not comply and continued on to junction 6" said Miss Sims.

She added: "The defendant's vehicle made several more erratic manoeuvres, speeding up, slowing down, moving from side to side in the lane."

Silcock did eventually pull over when she left the motorway at junction 6 (Worcester).

"She was clearly very intoxicated and smelled strongly of alcohol" said Miss Sims.

Mark Turnbull, defending, said Silcock had been to see a friend in Redditch before a court case, in which she was the victim.

Silcock's laptop and phone had previously been stolen from her car and a man contacted her offering to give her them back in return for a reward.

Jamie Lines, 30, previously of Ombersley Road, Worcester, received a suspended sentence for a series of frauds but also a threat to damage Silcock's Lexus when she refused to pay him any money.

In March Lines admitted the charges and was sentenced to six months in prison suspended for 18 months.

Mr Turnbull said the drink driving offence happened before the trial when the case had been 'preying on her mind'. As a result, a friend of Silcock's invited her over to have 'a few drinks' and 'just relax'.

However, 'it didn't have the desired effect' and she decided to drive back to Worcester.

Mr Turnbull described her as a finance director for a company which manufactures medical supplies, including supplying the NHS with PPE and equipment for Nightingale Hospitals.

He said she was responsible for 57 people and that she was going to find it difficult to get to work in Drakes Broughton because of the driving ban that would follow.

Magistrates fined her £1,307, ordered her to pay costs of £135 and a victim surcharge of £131.

She was banned from driving for 25 months. However, she was offered the drink drivers' awareness course which, if completed successfully, will reduce the disqualification by 25 weeks.