A DENTAL nurse has lost her job and may lose her career after police found her in a car parked in a layby, York magistrates heard.

Georgia Marie Murphy, 20, failed a breath test and was charged with being in charge of a vehicle when over the legal alcohol limit.

She was not charged with driving the car.

Representing herself, she said that because of her arrest, she had been referred to the dentists’ disciplinary authority and had lost her job.

Magistrates decided not to ban her and gave her 10 penalty points. She had no previous convictions.

“We have heard what you said about losing your job. We have our own view on that,” they said. They did not say what their view was.

Murphy, of Prospect Terrace, Newton-on-Ouse, north of York, pleaded guilty to being in charge of a vehicle when over the legal alcohol limit.

In addition to the penalty points, magistrates ordered her to pay a total of £141 consisting of a £40 fine, a £16 statutory surcharge and £85 prosecution costs.

Megan King, prosecuting, said police received a report at 4am on March 24 that someone was driving a Vauxhall Corsa when over the drink-drive limit.

They located the car in a lay-by on the A19 Easingwold bypass. Its lights were on and its engine was running.

They heard the engine turn off. Murphy was in the driver’s seat and smelt of alcohol, said Ms King.

She took a roadside breath test which gave a reading of 45 micrograms in 100 millilitres of breath. When she gave a second breath test at a police station that could be used as evidence the reading was 41 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

She told police she had had three pints to drink.

Murphy told the court: “I am really sorry. I have lost my job and I could lose my career. I really regretted making that decision.”

She said she had been trying to help her friend and her friend’s family.