Drug-driver who mowed down toddler at caravan park loses appeal bid
CHILD ENDED UP IN INTENSIVE CARE WITH CRUSH INJURIES
AWOMAN convicted of running over a toddler while on drugs has tried to get her sentence thrown out – despite admitting what she’d done.
Clare Watmough, a manager of a children’s care organisation, drove over the 20-month-old at the Rhos Caravan Park in Moelfre.
The child had been playing with a bucket and spade when Watmough, 44, reversed her Honda CRV 4x4 over her.
The toddler ended up in intensive care with crush injuries and her parents had been warned she might not have survived.
At an earlier hearing Watmough pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention and drug driving.
But last week she was back in court bidding to get to change her plea and for the case to be heard again.
Watmough’s barrister William Donnelly made the application on the basis of “technical difficulties” at the firm of solicitors who represented her at the hearing back in October.
Mr Donnelly said if the application to start the case over was granted, statements from witnesses would be examined and an expert’s report commissioned.
He added that Watmough accepted taking cocaine the day before the incident.
He added that the level of metabolyte in her system was high, but her demeanour wasn’t commented on by the investigating officer.
A drug swipe test at the scene was positive and analysis of a blood sample showed the level of Benzoylecgonine (BZE), a metabolyte of cocaine, was 288 microgrammes. The legal limit is 50.
Watmough had also been drinking alcohol but was under the drink drive limit.
Bench chairman Ffion Jones said Watmough had had legal representation and chose to accept the advice given.
She added the information was available at the time of the hearing and no request for an adjournment had been made.
“In the interests of justice we do not allow this application,” she said.
The child was run over on April 19.
An off-duty firefighter and nurse gave the youngster first aid and then she was flown to Alder Hey hospital. She spent five weeks in hospital in total.
Watmough was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work in the community and disqualified from driving for 30 months, and ordered to pay £495 in fines and costs.
In a victim impact statement heard at an earlier hearing, the child’s mother said the long-term effects of the incident were unknown – and her rehabilitation was proving difficult.
She added: “It has been a very difficult time which will continue whilst we all find ways to cope and rebuild our lives. Being told she may not survive was so distressing it is hard to put into words.”