Drink-driver caused OAP's death

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A woman has admitted causing the death of a 77-year-old woman by driving dangerously when she was substantially over the drink-drive limit.

Andrea Strong, 35, from Queensferry in Flintshire admitted causing pensioner Theresa Bhandari's death in a two-car crash.

Strong accepted prosecution "back calculations" showing she was over the drink-drive limit at the time.

The judge at Mold Crown Court warned Strong that custody was inevitable.

"The fact that you have pleaded guilty will make a considerable difference," said Judge John Rogers QC.

"You will get full credit for that."

Mrs Bhandari died six days after the crash at Welsh Road, Queensferry on 25 July, 2008.

The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report from the probation service and the defence is also having a psychologist's report.

Strong's barrister, Henry Gow said she was alcohol dependent and the report would look at how it affected her, and how it had affected her on the day of the crash.

There was no doubt that the sentence would be one of custody but the report might help over the length of sentence imposed, Mr Gow said.

Mrs Bhandari's husband Dr Amrit Bhandari died in 2002 from a heart attack

He confirmed that the defence did not dispute the "back calculations" carried out by the police.

Prosecutor David Mainstone said expert evidence showed that at the time of the accident the defendant would have been over the drink-drive limit.

The range was said to be between 192mg and 309mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, with the average being 254mg, compared to the legal limit of 80mg.

Strong was bailed until sentencing in February.

• Mrs Bhandari was the widow of Dr Amrit Bhandari who died in 2002 after he was harassed in a street in Chester by two women.

They were convicted of manslaughter and jailed after the judge said Dr Bhandari, 72, a retired civil servant with the Ministry of Defence, had been "frightened to death". One of the defendants died a short time later in custody.