A MUM has narrowly escaped going to prison after a court heard how she drove her car into Stevenage High Street with two of the vehicle s tyres missing or in shreds. Lesley Marks was eventually detained by security staff at The Proverbial pub. Despite app

A MUM has narrowly escaped going to prison after a court heard how she drove her car into Stevenage High Street with two of the vehicle's tyres missing or in shreds.

Lesley Marks was eventually detained by security staff at The Proverbial pub.

Despite appearing to be "extremely intoxicated", said Sally Mealing-McLeod prosecuting, she refused to provide police with a breath specimen.

At Luton Crown Court on Friday, 40-year-old Marks, of Fairfield Crescent, Stevenage appeared to admit dangerous driving and failing to provide a specimen.

Miss Mealing-McLeod said it was on August 30 last year at around 7.40pm when a motorist in Martins Way, Stevenage saw the defendant's Vauxhall Combo van come onto a roundabout from Canterbury Way.

The motorist could see the one of the tyres was flat but the van was travelling at speed and veering from lane to lane.

The court heard moments later as the car turned towards the Old Town bits of the rear tyre on the driver's side were shredding off.

The driver could see the wheel was down to the rim and called the police from his mobile phone.

Another driver also called the police having seen the defendant's van in Hitchin Road heading towards the High Street.

The court heard by the time the defendant got into the High Street the two offside tyres were either deflated or missing.

Judge Barbara Mensah was told that Marks went into The Proverbial and it was there door staff were made aware she had been driving with "blown tyres".

When she went to leave she was detained until the police arrived.

The court heard Marks had been convicted of a deception offence and handling stolen property in 2003 and in July 2007 had been in court for failing to provide a specimen.

Judge Mensah was told Marks, who is the sole carer for her young daughter, had taken steps to deal wit her alcohol problems and had sought the services of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Passing sentence the judge told Marks the offences were serious and crossed the custody threshold.

She sentenced Marks to 36 weeks imprisonment but suspended it for 18 months.

In addition she was placed on supervision for 12 months and disqualified from driving for three years.

The hearing was told that she had lost her job and was on benefits. She will have to pay prosecution costs of �100.