A KELTY woman who took up a friend's offer to teach her to drive did so despite being under the influence of drugs.

Cheryl Ring was not fit to drive, while her friend was not a qualified driver and she failed to display 'L' plates.

After a collision with another vehicle, police were contacted as its driver believed her to be under the influence of alcohol.

She was traced soon after near the Forth Bridge and, despite providing a negative breath test, she was unsteady on her feet and slurring her words and police officers deemed her unfit to be behind the wheel.

Appearing for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court on Wednesday, Ring, 33, of Keltyhill Avenue, had earlier admitted that on October 8 last year on the B981 Inverkeithing and Hope Street, Inverkeithing, and the A90 southbound, she drove a car when the holder of a provisional licence and was not accompanied by a qualified driver or displaying L plates.

She also drove without insurance and while unfit to drive through drugs or drink.

Depute fiscal Azrah Yousaf Ring was examined at the police station and was deemed to be unfit to drive, possibly due to drugs, and blood tests were taken.

Defence solicitor Ian Beatson said his client had a drug problem and was now on methadone.

"Prior to this she had taken other drugs and the medical report seems to suggest that the combination of all of these drugs had an affect on her," he said.

"A friend had offered to teach her to drive and this was the first time she had a lesson and she hadn't appreciated her level of intoxication. She was reckless."

Sheriff Charles McNair told Ring she must have been aware she required 'L' plates.

"Whether the drugs you were under the influence of were prescribed or not, it makes no difference," he added. "Your ability to drive was quite clearly impaired through the drugs which you had taken in combination. You must have been fully aware of the dangers of mixing methadone or heroin or whatever you were taking the night before."

He fined her a total of £400 and placed her on a restriction of liberty order for five months. She was also banned from driving for 15 months.