Drink-drive ban mum swerves jail for ‘sake’ of daughter’s well-being

SHE WAS BEHIND WHEEL UNDER INFLUENCE WHEN SUSPENDED

A WOMAN has walked free from court despite being caught drink driving for the second time in a year.

Kathryn Kent, of Belmont Street, Swadlincote, was already disqualified from driving when she was pulled over by police in the town in August, last year.

When speaking to police she gave a false name, before later revealing her actual name when officers investigated further.

She would later be charged and pleaded guilty to driving whilst disqualified, driving without insurance and driving under the influence of alcohol following the incident.

Prior to all of this Kent received her first suspended sentence in 2018 after stealing £4,000 from her dementia-suffering grandmother to go to Disneyland. She was given a 12-month sentence, suspended for two years, after she took the money from her elderly relative.

She was caught after posting pictures of her holiday on Facebook, with her own family questioning how she had been able to afford it. She pleaded guilty to theft, and was told by sentencing judge Adrian Reynolds she had “stooped about as low as you can get”.

Following this, she was found drink driving in Swadlincote in September 2019, while also being disqualified from driving after amassing 12 penalty points.

She was convicted of drink-driving, driving whilst disqualified, driving without insurance and breaching her suspended sentence.

On that occasion, Judge Shaun Smith QC deferred sentencing until April, last year. During that hearing he went on to give her a three-month jail sentence, suspended for a year.

He also extended her driving ban so it would remain in place for another six months, meaning it would expire in October 2020.

At a sentencing hearing at Derby Crown Court yesterday for her most recent offences, the court heard Kent was still banned when caught behind the wheel of an Audi A3 in William Nadin Way, Swadlincote, on August 4.

The court heard she had gone out and bought the car in preparation for when her driving ban was lifted, and was going to have some work done on it. The court heard a presentence report had been prepared which mentioned the impact her being sent to prison would have on her child’s physical and mental well-being.

Recorder Adrian Reynolds told Kent the well-being of her 15-yearold daughter was the main reason she had received a suspended sentence for these recent offences.

“I have read all about you,” he said. “I realise you have had some real problems. It was a stupid thing to buy a car. If it wasn’t for your position with your child I would face a really difficult decision, because of the fact you don’t deserve much sympathy.

“Your 15-year-old does deserve all the sympathy, so for her sake I’m going to give you another chance.

“There will become a point where the court loses patience with you.”

He handed Kent a seven month sentence, suspended for one year. He also disqualified her from driving for six months and give her 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.