A mum dialled 999 believing she had smoked a spiked cannabis joint only to then lead police on a car chase through Folkestone when she thought the officers were fake.

Former school worker Lisa Austin ignored the fact they were in full uniform, in marked vehicles and using blue lights and sirens as she tried to outmanoeuvre them.

Canterbury Crown Court heard the chase, in which she drove at speed, through red lights and occasionally on the wrong side of the road, lasted 20 minutes.

A stinger was eventually deployed, which deflated all four tyres on her Skoda Fabia, but she continued and was only brought to a halt when police boxed her in.

The 39-year-old, who had also rammed one of the patrol cars when it pulled in front of her, was then "forcibly" removed from her car, said prosecutor James Harrison.

He told the court that the pursuit in the early hours of April 16 last year arose in "slightly unusual" circumstances when Austin, concerned she had been spiked while visiting a friend, phoned police and told them she was driving and intoxicated.

However, having arranged to meet in a Sainsbury's car park, she then drove off after speaking to a constable.

"She stated she felt in fear for her life so continued driving to the point she was pulled from her vehicle..."

Dashcam footage showed Austin, a former school multi-agency link officer, reaching a top speed of 45mph in a 30mph residential area.

But she was also seen taking care to brake when faced with on-coming traffic and before jumping red lights.

Mr Harrison told the court that although her driving was considered dangerous, the risk created throughout had been assessed as "consistently low".

"She was driving away but just over or at the top end of the speed limit," he explained.

"It was late at night and there was limited traffic. Where she drives through red lights, there is braking before the red lights and checking that it's safe."

Following her arrest, Austin, of Pay Street, Hawkinge, was tested for drugs but was not found to be over the legal limit for any.

"When interviewed she stated she had been to a friend's house in Dover, a third party arrived and she smoked a cannabis joint but thought it must have been spiked because she immediately felt ill," said Mr Harrison.

"The defendant then left in her vehicle, headed to Sainsbury's where she had arranged to meet police but didn't think the officers in uniform were genuine and drove off.

"She stated she felt in fear for her life so continued driving to the point she was pulled from her vehicle."

Austin, who has no previous convictions or licence penalty points and now works as a cleaner, later admitted dangerous driving.

“You didn't believe he was a genuine officer despite the fact he was in full uniform and in a marked car...”

Kieran Brand, defending, said his client had behaved that night "in the most extraordinary of manners" and, as a result, had not used cannabis since.

He added that she had also demonstrated a realistic prospect of rehabilitation which would allow her to be spared immediate custody.

Passing sentence last Monday, Recorder Vivian Walters said Austin had behaved "wholly out of character" at a time when she was "under great stress professionally and personally".

But the judge told her that having alerted police to her condition after "voluntarily" smoking a joint she had then embarked on a "prolonged course of persistent and deliberate" driving.

"When police tried to speak to you, you drove off because, in your state, you didn't believe he was a genuine officer despite the fact he was in full uniform and in a marked car," said Recorder Walters.

Austin, who was supported in court by her parents, was given a 12-month community order with 25 rehabilitation activity requirements.

She must also pay £425 court costs and take an extended retest at the conclusion of her 12-month driving ban.