‘A SAVAGE LESSON’
School worker pays high price of prison sentence for drink-drive crash which left three cyclists seriously hurt
A SCHOOL worker who had been drinking at a pub to celebrate the start of the summer holidays struck three cyclists then left them lying injured in the road.
Chemistry technician Sandra Graham and her friend had taken their daughters skating in Whitley Bay before they went to a pub.
Graham, also known as Rickman, who had consumed wine and cider, dropped her passengers off and was in the car with her daughter when disaster struck on the A193 Links Road, at Seaton Sluice, Northumberland.
Newcastle Crown Court heard she drove into cyclists David Tickner, Terry Slater and Craig Scope, members of Northumbria Cycling Club, as they headed north, just past Seaton Sluice Middle School.
The 48-year-old sped off, leaving the men lying in the road with a catalogue of injuries.
But she was followed by another motorist who saw what happened and took a picture of her vehicle.
Two of the victims suffered serious injuries that required surgery and the third was left in long-term pain that still requires treatment.
Headteacher Mr Tickner suffered injuries including a fractured pelvic bone and hip socket, needed a fivehour operation and spent two weeks in hospital.
Mr Slater suffered four or five rib fractures, a broken upper arm and had snapped ligaments in his shoulder and collar bone that needed surgery.
Mr Scope lost movement in his arm and shoulder due to his injuries and needed treatment from an orthopaedic specialist.
The victims, who are all friends, said the injuries affected them and their families long term and meant they missed out on special events, holidays and work.
Graham, of Beaumont Manor, Blyth, Northumberland, admitted two charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, driving with excess alcohol and failing to stop after an accident.
Judge Edward Bindloss jailed her for 25 months and imposed a fouryear driving ban.
Sentencing her, Judge Bindloss said: “At the start of the summer holidays on July 12, 2019 you and a friend took your respective daughters skating in the Whitley Bay area.
“Afterwards you went to the pub at about 4.30pm and there, before leaving at 6pm, you drank alcohol, your recollection is cider and wine.”
Judge Bindloss said the cyclists were riding wearing reflective clothing and were riding in single file on the correct side of the road.
The judge added: “Visibility was good, road conditions were good, but you were intoxicated and your driving before, during and after the collision was dangerous.
“Afterwards, in panic and no doubt with judgement affected by drink and in my judgement to avoid detection, you drove away at speed, including through a red light and on the wrong side of the road.”
The court heard Graham failed an initial breath test. Later tests at the police station showed her to be on the legal limit. But a back calculation of the data showed she could have been around one-and-a-half times the drink drive limit at the time of the crash.
Judge Bindloss said he accepted it was “out of character” for Graham to drink to excess, get into a car and drive dangerously and said references described her as “trustworthy, hard working, helpful, caring, generous, conscientious, reliable and a devoted mother”.
Christopher Knox, defending, said Graham is not a “hardened drinker” and probably had “more alcohol than she realised” that day.
Mr Knox said Graham’s husband had driven her back to the scene after she got home and “her senses returned to her”.
Mr Knox added: “Her car wasn’t even scratched. It was the wing mirror which collided with the cyclists and caused the serious accident and unfortunately caused the terrible, serious injuries to them, for which she is mortified.
Mr Knox said Graham is not a danger to the public and added: “She has learned a savage lesson.”