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Drink-drive mum Victoria Speakman told son to lie to police

10:00, 23 August 2013

updated: 11:17, 23 August 2013

The teen was arrested yesterday.
The teen was arrested yesterday.

Victoria Speakman, 33, left a football event at the 442 club in Gillingham with her eight-year-old son, in a Ford Focus, despite being disqualified from the road.

However, Speakman, of Burnham Walk, Rainham, pulled up at the lights at a roundabout on the A2 and hit a car next to her but drove off.

She was spotted by police at the Bowaters roundabout in Gillingham, in June, and pulled over. Speakman told police her name was Wendy Rogers.

She also told her son to lie for her and when officers asked him who the lady who was driving was, he too said the woman was called Wendy and he was not her son, she was a family friend who was just dropping him off.

However, police became suspicious and spoke to the child alone and the boy, who is now nine, eventually broke down in tears and admitted she was his mum.

Officers suspected Speakman had been drinking and found an almost-empty bottle of vodka in her bag, and gave her a breath test.

She gave a reading of 111 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit is 35. Speakman was charged with driving while over the limit, driving while disqualified, driving without insurance and obstructing a police officer.

She appeared before magistrates in Medway in July and pleaded guilty to all the charges. Her sentencing was put off until earlier this week, so a pre-sentencing report could be prepared.

Matthew Quantrill, prosecuting, told the court Speakman continued to lie that she was Wendy Rogers, even when she got to the police station.

Later during interview, she admitted she gave a false details because she was scared.
She also claimed she thought her previous ban, which she had been given for another drink-driving conviction, was over.

Susan Broughton, chairman of the bench, said: “We have to say the level of alcohol you gave, having your son with you, is the most shocking thing we’ve ever heard. Putting your son at risk like that is just dreadful – you would have gone to prison if it wasn’t for him.”

Magistrates handed Speakman a three-month jail term, suspended for 12 months, for the driving offences. She was also give a concurrent seven-day suspended sentence for obstructing the police officer.
She was also ordered to attend a women’s group for 12 sessions and complete a drink driving programme. Speakman was banned from driving for 36 months and ordered to pay £85 court costs.

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