A MOTHER-of-four from Broad Hinton, near Marlborough, could face a jail sentence after she pleaded guilty to driving with more than three times the legal amount of alcohol in her system.

Margaret Jones, 44, from The Croft, Broad Hinton, admitted drink driving and driving without insurance when she appeared before Kennet magistrates in Devizes last week.

Amanda Sawetz, prosecuting, told the court that police were called to a single-vehicle crash on the A4361 near the village shortly after 9pm on December 29 last year.

Jones, who initially denied driving, registered a reading of 276 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, the legal limit being 80.

Andrew Eddy, defending, said that, when his client was interviewed by police the following morning, she had admitted she was the driver of the Peugeot car.

He told the court that Jones lives with her two youngest children, aged six and four, while her 15-year-old daughter lives with her sister in Devizes.

On the night in question, there had been a celebratory meal at the family home, attended by her estranged husband. There had been problems between the two adults and Jones had started drinking heavily.

The case was adjourned for reports until March 16 at Chippenham magistrates' court.

Presiding magistrate Christine Marshall told Jones: "It was a very high reading and we must consider the option of sending you into custody."