Abby Hughes, banned for drunk driving, sped off from police in Liverpool and crashed. A school vouched for her.
Abby, a 32-year-old mother of two, drove an Audi TT. Police tried stopping her for displaying fake plates. Hughes sped through a junction and later crashed into a parked car in Liverpool.
She was previously banned for drunk driving just four months prior to this event. Hughes blamed a male passenger, claiming he told her to drive off. No one sustained any injuries.
Hughes admitted her crimes in court and faced potential jail time for dangerous driving, driving while banned, and having no insurance. The headteacher described her as a mentor, and the judge suspended her sentence for 10 months, suspended for a year.
This incident happened last June, when police spotted her car that night and suspected the plates were cloned. Officers blocked her car at a light; another patrol car blocked her from behind.
Police got out and approached the Audi. They saw a panicked and frantic man in the passenger seat. The officer tried to open his door, but it was locked tight. The Audi moved back and forth slightly.
The driver attempted to escape the police. An officer tried unsuccessfully to break the window with his baton. Abby then sped off to the left; an officer stated she nearly ran them over. The passenger briefly opened the door.
Hughes sped through the junction, disregarding other drivers nearby. Cars braked to avoid a wreck. She drove fast on several streets, showing no concern for safety, and then hit a parked car. Police caught Hughes; the man fled. Fake plates were found in the back of the car.
A judge had banned Hughes earlier in February for drunk driving when her alcohol level broke the limit. This took place in the Salford area.
Her lawyer claimed a man influenced her after her father passed. The lawyer said she felt quite scared and that he yelled at her to just drive, and she foolishly obeyed his demands.
The lawyer stated this man had a past that Hughes did not know about. She left him and now focuses on kids, and is respected by her community. Teachers call her hard-working and devoted, inspiring staff and children daily; Hughes betters her life with school.
Her school sponsors her teaching degree. She feels sorry and lost sleep over it, knowing a prison sentence was possible. Her mom prepared to care for her kids; Hughes knew it could have been worse.
She needs support to deal with issues and takes all blame for her choices. The people who wrote references were not family, but rather all her work peers. Her boss knows the full situation; Hughes told them everything openly.
The judge ordered unpaid work, mental health help, and rehab activities, along with another ban from driving that lasts for three entire years. She must also pay costs and fees.
The judge stated she should not have driven, that she chose to drive despite it all, and that she disregarded other drivers’ safety. It put everyone at significant risk and was truly dangerous driving, he said.
He accepted she felt pressured and also considered her children. Prison would hurt her kids immensely. He noted her school’s high regard and their funding of her degree in teaching, and ultimately avoided a prison sentence.