Woman drove at 100mph with children in her car

A woman who crashed her car after driving at more than 100mph with child passengers has been banned from driving for five years.

Natalie Knight, 45, of St Michael’s Gate, Parnwell, Peterborough, was also found to have drugs in her system following the crash at 12.50am on 15 July last year on the A1M northbound at Sawtry.

A temporary speed restriction of 50mph was in place but Knight drove at speeds of more than 100mph and crashed into the rear of a Toyota Yaris.

The Yaris hit the central reservation while Knight’s black Audi Q2 stopped in the road. Police arrived and a drug test indicated cannabis in her system.

Two boys and a girl, who were passengers in the Audi, were uninjured. The driver and a passenger in the Yaris were taken to hospital and suffered slight injuries. Two children, aged five and 14 who were in the back of the vehicle were unhurt.

Knight was taken to hospital where a blood test confirmed the presence of drugs in her system was at a level of 10 – the legal limit being two.

On Monday, 29 September, Knight pleaded guilty to drug driving and dangerous driving at Cambridge Crown Court.

She was sentenced to 14 months in prison, suspended for two years, banned from driving for five years and will have to take an extended driving test before she can drive again.

She was also handed 240 hours of unpaid work to be completed in the next 12 months and 20 rehabilitation days.

PC Peter Smith, from the Road Policing Unit, said: “Driving while under the influence of drink or drugs is irresponsible but to do so dangerously and with children in the car is beyond belief.

“This crash could have ended up far worse for all concerned.”