A NURSE crashed her car while driving drunk near a primary school with a child in the vehicle.

On March 15 this year Kelly McCann was seen running her Ford Focus into a lamppost on Menzies Place outside St Martha's Primary School.

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard that around 10.05am the witness heard a loud bang outside and looked out of his window to see a blue Ford Focus with its front section embedded into a lamppost.

He then saw the vehicle reverse before coming to a stop in front of his own car.

When he went out to assess the damage he saw McCann in the driver's seat with a child in the vehicle who was crying and in a state of distress.

Depute fiscal Ramsay Cunningham said: "On speaking to the witness he observed her to have slurred speech and be smelling of alcohol."

The witnesses went back inside to find a pen and take McCann's details.

At 10.10am a second witness walking past saw the 43-year-old and the child, who was crying, and offered her a lift home.

The second witness also noticed her slurred speech, the court was told, and a smell of alcohol.

When asked if she had been drinking she replied, "Yes".

Police later found McCann, who is a clinical supervisor on a Covid-19 ward at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, at her Springburn home and took a breath specimen. She was arrested and taken to Stewart Street police office.

McCann's defence lawyer said that a short time before the incident, her father had died suddenly.

The lawyer said: "He went to hospital with a broken hand and was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer.

"She accepts full responsibility for her actions and she recognises the seriousness of her actions.

"In her line of work she often sees drunks and is disgusted with herself.

"She is worried about what her work will think of this."

The court heard McCann is registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council and that the professional body was awaiting an outcome of the case.

The court was also told McCann has a previous conviction for driving without insurance.

Sheriff Jonathan Guy disqualified McCann from driving for 16 months and placed her on a community payback order to last for 12 months.

She will also have to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.

Sheriff Guy said: "I accept the submissions by your solicitor that you have shown genuine regret and remorse and are generally of good conduct, although you have a previous offence."