A WOMAN who once caused the death of a 77-year-old woman by driving dangerously when she was over the drink-drive limit has reappeared in court charged with driving while under the influence of drugs.

Andrea Strong, 45, from Saltney, admitted causing pensioner Theresa Bhandari's death in a two-car crash ten years ago.

But despite serving a custodial sentence for the offence at the time, almost exactly a decade later, Strong was found to be behind the wheel while under the influence of cannabis when she was stopped by police on June 16 while driving on the A548 in Deeside Industrial Estate.

Justin Espie, prosecuting, said officers had been following Strong, of Salisbury Avenue, Saltney, before stopping her at around 6.30pm when they discovered she was driving whilst uninsured.

She smelt strongly of cannabis and a saliva test proved positive before checks showed she was driving without insurance or a valid MOT certificate for her 2009 Volkswagen car.

Strong surrendered a bag of cannabis and a grinder was found in her handbag with a later blood sample exceeded the top limit for a positive reading.

Fiona Larkin, defending, said Strong, who pleaded guilty to charges of driving a motor vehicle with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the specified limit, possession of a Class B drug, using a motor vehicle on a road / public place without third party insurance, using a motor vehicle on a road without a valid test certificate and driving while disqualified, thought about Ms Bhandari's death "every day".

Ms Larkin told Mold Magistrates Court that Strong was still taking medication relating to the head injuries she received in the incident which happened on Welsh Road, Queensferry on July 25, 2008.

She added that Strong thought she had car insurance but payments had not been made and she also believed she had two months left on her MOT certificate.

The court also heard she acted as a sole carer for her 17-year-old son who suffers from a form of dwarfism.

Chair of the bench, Patricia Davies, handed Strong a 12 month driving ban and told her she would have to take an extended driving test if she wished to use a vehicle again.

She was also fined £340 for driving under the influence of drugs, £225 for possession, £340 for driving without insurance along with £85 costs and a £35 victim surcharge.

No penalties were imposed for the charges relating to the MOT certificate and driving whilst disqualified.