A USAF officer had a blood-alcohol reading almost three times the legal limit when she crashed her car into a wall in Cheveley High Street. A court heard that when Amy Rawlins was told the police had been called, she reversed her BMW and drove off, with t

A USAF officer had a blood-alcohol reading almost three times the legal limit when she crashed her car into a wall in Cheveley High Street.

A court heard that when Amy Rawlins was told the police had been called, she reversed her BMW and drove off, with the driver's door hanging open. As she backed her car off the drive, Rawlins' car door had come into contact with two people who had gone to her aid, Ely magistrates were told on Thursday.

Her solicitor Jim Dignan told the court: "The consequences of this incident are significant, she has been relieved of her command function within the air force. She is not allowed to drive, and will not get promotion.

"The American military is down-sizing, and because of the sanctions placed on her, she will be a prime target for redundancy."

Rawlins, 30, of Newmarket Road, Ashley, admitted failing to stop after the accident on March 4, failing to report the accident, and careless driving.

After a trial last month, she was found guilty of drink-driving, and assaulting Sandra and Marc Andrews.

After hearing the crash, Sandra and Marc Andrews had rushed out of their house to help, and found Rawlins with a blank expression on her face, said prosecutor Angela Sassoli. When she tried to leave, she collided with a fence, and drove off, weaving all over the road, nearly hitting a parked car.

She was drunk when police arrived at her home, and claimed she had been drinking heavily since the accident. A test reading showed 219 mgs of alcohol in 100 mls of blood, compared with the legal limit of 80 mgs.

Mr Dignan said the assaults were reckless rather than deliberate. Rawlins had a drink problem, and attends Narcotics Anonymous.

Rawlins was banned from driving for two years, given an 18-month supervision order, and told to pay £75 compensation and £790 costs.