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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Alahna Kindred

Mum who used car as battering ram while 16 times over drug limit spared jail

A mum-of-two has been spared jail after using her car as a battering ram while 16 times the drug-driving limit.

Natalie Warke, 41, repeatedly rammed her VW Golf into her sister's empty car before pushing it across a junction during a family row.

Warke was arguing in the street with her eldest son and her sister about her vehicle being pranged.

Stunned passers-by watched as she argued with her relatives in the street.

Police were called to the scene in Levenshulme, Manchester found Warke slumped at the wheel of the car having snorted cocaine in the run-up to the incident, Manchester Crown Court said.

According to court documents tests showed she had 800mg of Benzoylecgonine (BZE) - which is the main metabolite of cocaine - in her blood and she also had traces of cocaine itself in her system. The limit is 50mg.

Warke admitted dangerous driving, drug driving, and having no insurance but walked free after a judge accepted a prison stretch would have a 'harmful effect" on her 12-year-old son.

The incident happened at 10am in May 2020 when Warke got into a row with her sister and other relatives after one accidentally hit her car.

Warke was spared jail after admitting dangerous driving, drug driving, and having no insurance at Manchester Crown Court (MEN Media)

Warke had been diagnosed with epilepsy following a car crash in 2005, the court heard.

Andrew Mackintosh, prosecuting, said: "This defendant was seen coming to a halt at a junction before driving into a small vehicle parked at the roadside.

"She pushed it back for a little distance then reversed and drove off only to return from the opposite direction and push the other car across a road junction.

"The defendant was seen to get out of her vehicle and there was a disturbance involving other people and that resulted in her getting back into the car.

"Police arrived at the scene and found her sat in the driver's seat. She appeared to be slurring her words and was gurning at the officers who thought was intoxicated.

"Whilst they asked her for her keys, a member of the public approached them and showed CCTV of the incident.

"When interviewed the defendant accepted she had deliberately driven her Golf into the vehicles of other family members. She said this was following an argument with her son and several other members of the family.

"She admitted having driven into the parked car several times and said this was due to her son crashing his car into hers a short time before the incident.

"This is a case where some damage would have been caused to the other vehicle - however, the other members of the family who own that vehicle have never made a complaint or provided details of what happened."

Warke had previous convictions for theft, the court heard.

In mitigation defence counsel Andrew Molloy said his client is a single mum and has a son with special needs.

Mr Molloy: "She is somewhat embarrassed about her performance that day.

"This incident arose out of an argument and domestic tiff she had with her sister. She thoroughly regrets her behaviour.

"Whilst what happened was unacceptable, there was no persons in the other vehicle and she was alone in her car.

"There were no pedestrians in the vicinity and very little in the way of traffic passing along the road. If she were to go to custody there would be repercussions for her son."

Sentencing Warke, the judge Mr Recorder Michael Armstrong told her: "You made a choice to drive whilst under the influence of drugs along a public street before ramming another family member's vehicle on a number of occasions. But immediate custody would have a significant harmful effect on others in particular your 12-year-old son."

Warke was sentenced to nine months in jail suspended for 15 months and was ordered to complete 20 Rehabilitation Requirement Days. She was also banned from driving for two years.

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