Burnley mum-of-three who demolished garden wall in early hours of morning crash told police her car had been stolen court hears

Carer Kimberley Ashworth had left the scene after the smash on Cog Lane, in Burnley.

She tried to mislead the police by claiming the vehicle had been taken in a burglary, but officers weren’t fooled. Ashworth quickly came clean, changed her story and admitted the report was not true.

Burnley magistrates were told how the 35-year-old went on to tell police the accident happened because her brakes failed, and not for any other reason.

Mrs Alex Mann, prosecuting, said: "We simply have to take her word for it. There are no reports she was considered to be drunk.”

Mrs Mann had told the hearing: " At about 2am, it was reported to police that a vehicle had driven into a garden wall.

"It was completely demolished. The car was left at the scene. It was also reported that people had been there, advising her to say the car had been stolen. Police subsequently got that report the car had been stolen but they didn’t take it seriously.

"They did go and speak to the defendant the next morning. At first, she said it had been taken in a burglary, but quite quickly changed that story and admitted that the report was false."

The prosecutor said the defendant made full and frank admissions and said she panicked after her brakes appeared to have failed. She left and did what other people suggested.

Mrs Mann added: "She is quite fortunate the police have dealt with her for just the one offence.”

Mr Trevor Feehily, defending, said Ashworth, a single mum, had only fairly recently come out of an 'extremely abusive' relationship at the time of the incident. She had been the victim of domestic violence, he alleged.

The solicitor continued: "On that night, things just got on top of her. She was at home with the children and just felt she needed to get out and clear her head.

"It was a wet night. She tried to negotiate a bend in the road, but the car wouldn’t turn the corner and collided with a wall. She has panicked.”

Mr Feehily said the next day the defendant returned to the scene, to make inquiries at the property where damage was caused. She was told by the tenant of the house that the landlord would sort it and it wouldn’t be necessary to make recompense.

The solicitor continued: " Very foolishly, for a short length of time she told police the vehicle had been taken, but she has come clean very quickly and made full and frank admissions."

Mr Feehily added it was out of character for the defendant and she needed her licence to do her job.

The defendant, of Tiber Avenue, Burnley, admitted failing to report an accident on August 11th.

Ashworth, who had no previous convictions, was fined £120, with a £32 victim surcharge and was given eight points on her licence.