Employee so drunk she thought shift ended after one hour's work

A detective for Merseyside Police clocked in for work so drunk that she thought she had finished her shift in just one hour, Wigan magistrates court heard.

Detective Constable Donna Montgomery, 51, was facing trial charged with driving with excess alcohol. On the day in question, she had arrived for duty at 10am but within minutes she had asked for annual leave and by 11am was so drunk she mistakenly believed the time was 2pm – the Telegraph reports.

"I was coming into the station a 10:56am when I noticed DC Montgomery,” Detective Inspector Elaine Coulter told the hearing. "She used to be a member of my team, so I know her well. I knew that she had recently returned to work from a period of absence.

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"I asked her why she was going home so early and she said that she was finished as she was doing a 10am until 2pm shift - but I knew it was only coming up for 11am.”