Drunk Mother Jailed After Dashcam Captures Reckless Crash with Children
Shocking dashcam footage has captured the moment a mother, under the influence of alcohol and cannabis, crashed and rolled her van after speeding at 80mph while giving a group of children a lift home. Faye Dawson, 50, was driving her Vauxhall Corsa in March last year when she decided to show off to the five youngsters, leading to a terrifying ordeal that resulted in injuries and legal consequences.
Reckless Behaviour and Disturbing Statements
The footage reveals Dawson bragging about her driving skills, stating she drives 'like a bad b***h' and claiming, 'I am a rally car driver and a b***h. You get in here with your life.' She then accelerated at 'an incredibly high speed,' stopping at a junction to ask, 'Are you buckled in? Because if you die I am not responsible for you.'
In a chilling admission, Dawson added, 'I you die right now, I've got no f***ing consequence,' and warned, 'I am not a safe driver. Right now I am on alcohol and have had a smoke so I am even more f***ing dangerous. When it comes to driving, if you are not comfortable do not come in my car.'
Ignored Pleas and Catastrophic Crash
Despite repeated pleas from her young passengers to slow down, Dawson continued her reckless driving. She failed to slow for roundabouts, swerved onto the wrong side of the road, and narrowly missed parked cars in a residential area. One child can be heard urging the others to 'hold on' and begging Dawson to 'slow down' before she lost control of the vehicle, crashing into the side of the road and rolling it.
Injuries and Emotional Trauma
Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard that four of the children, aged 14 and 15, were injured in the crash. One suffered a spine fracture and was detained in hospital. In a victim statement, a child described feeling 'trapped and terrified,' adding, 'I remember screaming. I genuinely believed I was going to die. I have suffered flashbacks and panic attacks.'
The girl with the back fracture said, 'I thought I was going to die. I had to have time off school to recover. I feel very anxious in vehicles. I have nightmares and flashbacks. I had to live with back pain for six months.'
Court Sentencing and Judge's Remarks
Dawson, from Cheadle, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and was today jailed for 14 months. She also received a 55-month driving ban and must take an extended retest. Judge Richard McConaghy told her, 'Your appalling arrogance caught up with you. When doing nearly 80mph you lost control of the car and rolled it. You injured a number of your passengers. It was a miracle that you did not kill somebody.'
The judge noted that Dawson was recorded shouting about damage to her car rather than the children's welfare, stating, 'You are lucky that you have been charged with dangerous driving and not causing serious injury by dangerous driving. Your driving was impaired by the consumption of alcohol and drugs.'
Mitigation and Remorse
Robert Holt, mitigating, said Dawson has become a recluse, exacerbating her post-traumatic stress disorder. He stated, 'She will never drive again, such is the traumatic effect of what took place. She feels genuine remorse and empathy with the people in the car that night. She has no interest in driving again.' Judge McConaghy acknowledged her remorse but concluded, 'The offending is so serious that only immediate custody is appropriate.'
