A WOMAN found wandering on Swindon's Whalebridge roundabout holding two cans of lager has been bound over to keep the peace.

Amanda Ponting, 32, was spotted by police wandering on the roundabout shortly before 9.30pm last Tuesday, Swindon magistrates were told.

"She was seen holding two cans of lager, swaying and unsteady on her feet," Frank Murphy, prosecuting, told the court.

"She was told to move on and the officers tried to move her, but she just returned and continued to try to get on the roundabout."

Fearing for the safety of her and other road users he said that the officers arrested her for being drunk and disorderly.

"She does not accept that she was drunk, although she had consumed a modest amount of alcohol," said Mr Murphy.

He said the Crown would withdraw the charge of being drunk and disorderly if she accepted being bound over.

Martin Wiggins, defending, said that Ponting, who had spent the night in custody, was being treated for depression and her medication had recently been increased.

He added: "Her dose of anti-depressants has been upped from 25mg to 75mg some three times the amount she was used to. She accepts that she had drunk half a can of lager and that mixture had an effect on her.

"She accepts she was sitting on the roundabout. She had been for a number of days, watching the traffic.

"The police decided it was not the safest place for her to be."

He said that up until two months ago Ponting had been working as a cleaner and was not claiming any benefits.

Magistrates bound over Ponting, of Broad Street, to keep the peace in the sum of £100 for the next 12 months.

Tom Morton