Inverness woman jailed after high-speed police chase including mounting pavement and grass banking
A 35-year-old grieving woman who led police on a high-speed chase through residential streets in Inverness was jailed for a total of 14 months at Inverness Sheriff Court.
Samantha Stewart, of Galloway Drive, appeared by video link before Sheriff Robert Frazer and admitted a total of seven charges, five road traffic offences, plus one each of breach of bail and possessing cannabis.
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The court heard that Stewart's life was "in a mess" at the time of the pursuit on the evening of July 22 last year having lost her father and brother relatively recently before.
It began about 6.50pm when police received an anonymous call about an erratic driver in the Kinmylies area of Inverness and officers traced her vehicle in General Booth Road.
They followed her to Balnacraig Lane where she mounted a grass verge and police tried to stop her there, but it was clear she would not stop, fiscal depute Shay Traynor told the court.
Stewart then drove at excessive speed missing a woman with a child buggy and failed to give way into Fairfield Road and narrowly avoided a collision with another car.
"She drove at 60mph along the length of Hawthorn Drive into Limetree Avenue when she managed to fit her car through bollards on to a grassy area and emerge on to St Margaret's Road.
"The pursuit continued down Bruce Gardens at speeds in excess of 60mph where she failed to observe lane markings, eventually leading to the Tomnahurich roundabout where she made a dangerous overtake. Police decided to terminate the pursuit as it was too dangerous."
Stewart was arrested the following day for a breach of bail curfew and had cannabis in her possession. It was discovered she was a disqualified driver with no insurance.
She pleaded guilty to driving while banned, without insurance, driving dangerously, failing to stop when required by police to do so and having no test certificate.
Defending, John MacColl said: "Her life had been chaotic and frankly was in a bit of a mess. She had been struggling with the loss of her father and brother and was having difficulty with drug abuse.
"She is on remand for more serious offences but has been taking positive steps to resolve the issues she had before her remand. She is doing everything she can and once she has completed her period in custody, she hopes to come out with a clean slate and start over."
Sheriff Frazer described the offences as "of the most serious kind and at a most extreme level. I am surprised you have not been prosecuted at a higher level."
Apart from jailing Stewart, he disqualified her from driving for six years.
