TTC COURSE STOPS BINGE DRINKER - June 13th, 2008
A teenage binge drinker who drove while drunk after getting involved in a girl gang fight said that an alcohol rehabilitation course had “changed her life.”
Laura Brannelly (20), (pictured) who had never been in trouble before, says she has now turned her back on the binge drinking culture which led to the totally uncharacteristic offences.
She volunteered to attend the highly acclaimed education course run by the TTC Group – the UK’s largest provider of rehabilitation courses – after appearing before magistrates in Greater Manchester.
“I was really drunk. When the police came they could clearly see how drunk I was. I couldn’t get my words out,” said Laura, who lost her prized job as a veterinary nurse as a result and had to leave home after falling out with her mother over her behaviour.
The teenager, then 19, had been drinking all day with friends from midday until 11pm. The teenage girls shared a bottle of vodka, downed Tequila slammers and drank cider and wine.
Laura and a friend later ended up in a gang fight with a group of girls outside a kebab shop in Manchester. Laura was arrested after jumping in her car to escape the kicks and punches – and ended up hitting a girl who had stepped in front of her car.
“It all happened because I had been drinking. I should never have got into the car in the first place. It was just a ten minute walk to the shop.”
She spent a night in the police cells and was later fined £300 and banned from driving for 16 months for being just under twice the legal drink drive limit. While in court she volunteered to attend the three day alcohol rehabilitation course in Manchester.
“I went into the course at the beginning with the attitude that I was only attending to get my licence back early and that it would be a waste of time,” said Laura, of Openshaw, who has since been reunited with her mother and has a new job as an office worker.
“I spent three days with TTC Trainer Roy Handforth and I can honestly say that not only would I never drink and drive again but I am no longer a binge drinker.”
Laura said her “eyes were opened” after a demonstration on the course on the stark effects of liver damage and a video of a real life tragedy in which a 17-year-old girl died after being hit by a drink driver.
“The course was life changing for me and I would like to thank Roy and all at TTC for educating me and arming me with information that I can hopefully pass onto the people around me.”
Laura said that it was “disturbing” that she did not know about the effects of alcohol before getting her driving licence.
“At 18 all you want to do is get in your car and drive. You never think of consequences, or units, or the fact that you can still be over the limit days later.”
The TTC Group educate more than 10,000 drink drivers each year. They also run speed awareness courses and the National Driver Improvement Scheme on behalf of police and councils and corporate education courses for fleet managers to manage occupational road risk.
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For more information please contact TTC Group publicity co-ordinator Elaine Adams on 01952 505026 07970019184 publicity@elaineadams.com
