British Airways stewardess discovered slumped over steering wheel on a roundabout
A British Airways hostess found nearly five times the legal limit after she was spotted slumped in her car on a busy roundabout. Shocked passers-by called the police after spotting Emma Newton Owen swerving through traffic. She was also found to have been blocking an ambluance in the area. The police found her near Guildford, Surrey, out for the count behind the wheel.
It was thought that she was having a “medical episode” but she admitted that she had been drinking. The mum of one was arrested on September 19, wearing her BA uniform, according to Mail Online, having just returned from working a flight from Heathrow and was heading back home to Horley, Surrey.
When it was time to take a breathalyser, Newton Owen admitted: “I am going to be honest, it’s going to come back positive.”, reports the Mirror. A blood alcohol test at a police station later showed she was almost five times over the legal drink drive limit. Newton Owen’s solicitor Annie Finn told the court that it was a “cry for help” and utterly the wrong choice.
The court heard that Newton Owen had separated from her husband Gawain following his arrest on charges of domestic violence, which included allegations of him hitting his wife with a bottle and threatening to kill her. “There was a lot going on with controlling behaviour. All of it became too much and she took the decision to drive. This was a cry for help,” stated Ms Finn.
She further added: “She is now a single mum with a six-year-old daughter. Her husband is no longer living at the home address and she is being supported by her parents.”
The court was informed that Newton Owen had no prior convictions and was known for her hard work and good character. Dressed in a black and red check jacket with her hair tied back in a ponytail, Newton Owen wiped away tears as she stood in the dock and admitted to drink driving.
It was revealed that she is currently on long-term sick leave from British Airways, where she has been employed as a flight attendant for two decades. Newton Owen expressed that it was not safe for her to continue in her role as flight crew.
Chief magistrate Carol Magras postponed the hearing for eight weeks to allow the probation service to prepare a pre-sentence report. Newton Owen, who attended court with her parents, declined to comment outside the courtroom.
She is due to reappear in January for sentencing.
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