An elderly woman who drank as she grieved her husband's death crashed her car while more than three times over the alcohol limit.

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner told Kathleen Steede that her case was a sad situation, but he fined her $1,000 after hearing how she smashed her Daihatsu into a motorcycle in Front Street at 4.30 a.m. on Monday, September 8.

Prosecutor Michael McColm told Magistrates' Court that Police arrived at the scene and asked Steede, 67, of Bostock Hill, Paget, whether she wanted medical attention.

Mr. McColm said she told officers: "I'm not injured. My husband died so I went out with my friends to drink. I'm sorry for driving under the influence."

A breath test showed she had 257 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of her blood, against a legal limit of 80.

Admitting the offence yesterday, Steede told Mr. Warner: "All I can say is I'm so sorry. I have been driving in Bermuda for 40 years and I have never driven under the influence before now."

Mr. Warner replied: "It's a rather sad situation, not only losing your loved one but driving when impaired after all these years. There are other ways of dealing with grief other than by drinking. You should ask for some grief counselling because this is not going to go away like that."

Steede replied: "I already have."

Steede was banned from driving for 12 months and awarded 10 demerit points against her licence.