Mum spared jail after using her car as a ‘weapon’
Woman revved engine at crowd of people before ‘lurching forward’
A DRIVER who lurched into a crowd of seven people in her Nissan Micra in a ‘family feud’, knocking her own friend unconscious, has been spared jail.
Mum-of-three Victoria Hadley, 29, had been drinking when she went with a relative to Steerforth Close in Buckland to challenge other family members.
Portsmouth Crown Court heard how a relative of her’s had alleged he had been abused. Hadley went with the man and launched a brick or rock through the rear windscreen of a woman’s car parked outside.
Hadley’s pal Saffron Godfrey chucked a rock towards the house on January 19 last year, the court heard.
Prosecutor Edward Hollingsworth said: ‘There was a large, loud and verbally disorderly exchange, pushing and shoving.’
Hadley and another woman threw punches at each other and pulled hair.
But Hadley, of Watts Road, Buckland, then got into her parked Nissan Micra using it as a ‘weapon’ - revving the engine at a crowd of around seven people.
She lurched forward – despite Ms Godfrey trying to stop her – and knocked Ms Godfrey unconscious and injured a man and woman.
The man was ‘nearly sandwiched’ between his own parked car and the Micra and was left with a ‘ringing in his ears,’ bruised knees and pain in his head.
The injured woman, a neighbour, was pushed back into a parked car after being hit in the knees and hip. She suffered bruising to her wrist and elbow. Recorder Elisabeth Bussey-Jones imposed a 30-week jail term suspended for 18 months with two-month tagged curfew between 6pm-6am.
Hadley must pay £800 compensation for the window, and complete 15 days’ rehabilitation activities. She admitted dangerous driving, criminal damage and two charges of battery. Recorder BusseyJones said jailing Hadley would have a significant effect on her children. She banned Hadley from driving for a year with extended retest. She added Hadley used the car ‘essentially as a weapon’. Ms Godfrey was given a police caution.