Drunk mum-of-three leaves children at home alone to meet boyfriend in Tesco carpark

Mum-of-three Hannah Hawke has been banned for driving for 16 months, issued a curfew and served an 18 month community order after pleading guilty to drunk driving and child neglect at Burnley Crown Court.

25-year-old Hawke was intoxicated when she decided to leave her six-year-old son and three-year-old daughter at home alone before driving to meet her boyfriend with her 12-month-old baby as a passenger in the car.

Police officers spotted the mum-of-three and described her as smelling of alcohol.

Hawke's children were discovered in the house in a distressed state wearing only underclothes.

Judge Jonathan Gibson condemned Hawke's behaviour, saying: "Not only did you have a young child in the back of the vehicle you had been driving - which of course was dangerous enough in itself- but you also left two children back at home."

Acknowledging that Hannah did not have a history of this behaviour, the judge said: "I accept this was an isolated incident but that said it is nonetheless serious and there has been serious consequences for you personally. You have to bear the consequences of your behaviour."

Hawke had 65 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.