Britain's top women's rallying team has broken up following the disqualification from driving of navigator Rachael Simmonite.

Simmonite, 24, pleaded guilty at Skipton Magistrates' Court today to drink driving and was banned for 18 months and fined £240. Her lawyer Fred Rutherford said, under British rallying rules, Simmonite needed a valid driving licence to take part in rallies, even as a co-driver.

He said the ban would mean she could not compete in the RAC rally in November one of the top rallying events in the country.

Prosecutor, Caroline Midgley, said Simmonite of Malt Kiln Hall, Thornton, had 61 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit was 35mg.

She had been attending a private function at Coniston Cold near Gargrave on July 4 where, during the day, she was giving off-road driving demonstrations.

Simmonite, who competes with her driver sister Stephanie, left the event in her Ford Escort, damaging three other vehicles in the car park. The police were called and an officer later came across an unattended Ford Escort near Gargrave.

She confirmed she had been the driver involved in the incident in the car park at Coniston Cold and said she had driven to Gargrave and abandoned her Ford following a puncture. She went back to Coniston Cold where she later got a lift with friends.

In a later interview Simmonite told police that on getting back to Coniston Hall she had drunk two double Southern Comforts and coke before leaving with the others. On her second interview on August 10 she withdrew that statement and said she had been mistaken.

Mr Rutherford said that his client had intended to stay overnight but during the evening something occurred which made her want to leave. After the incident in the car park she drove only a short distance when she came to her senses and made her way back to Coniston Hall.

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