New mom, 26, ignored drug-driving ban and smashed up her SUV in police chase on cocaine binge weeks after leaving NHS mom and child unit
A new mother ignored her drug-driving ban and smashed up her SUV during a police pursuit when she went on a cocaine binge just weeks after her discharge from a NHS mother and baby unit.
Zara Ferns, 26, had been allowed home from hospital with her newborn son after a severe bout of post natal problems – but later left the infant with his grandmother whilst she snorted the drug at a friend’s house.
Police arrested her in the early hours of January 25, following a police chase in which Ferns drove at twice the speed limit in her automatic Omoda 5.
A court heard Ferns, from Runcorn, Cheshire, repeatedly veered over the central white line before crashing into a concrete sign.
Officers at the scene noticed she had tell-tale white powder around her nose – but Ferns failed to give a sample for testing.
When quizzed later Ferns said: ‘I have no idea why I took it. No idea why I got into the vehicle and no idea why I drove.’
Inquiries revealed she had been driving whilst banned following a 12-month disqualification imposed for drug-driving in February last year.
At Warrington Magistrates’ Court, Ferns faced up to two years in jail after she admitted dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified, failing to stop when required by a constable, failing to provide a specimen for analysis and driving without insurance.
Zara Ferns, 26, was spared jail by a judge after she was taken off medication being used to manage post-natal psychosis days before the incident
She was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, after a judge accepted she needed to be at home to look after her son, who is now four months old.
Social services are said to be ‘content’ the child is being looked after properly.
The court heard Ferns had been confined to a mother and baby unit following a bout of ‘post-natal psychosis’ but she was discharged last November with medication.
In January, days before the incident, she was taken off the pills ‘through no fault of her own’ due to health complications.
Miss Chelsea Keans, prosecuting, told the hearing: ‘In the early hours of Sunday January 25, PC Holland, in fully uniformed patrol in a fully marked police vehicle observed a silver Omoda 5 veer over the central line three times on Boston Avenue, Runcorn.
‘He subsequently activated the emergency lights equipment and siren to cause the vehicle to stop. The vehicle did initially stop before accelerating away at speed when the officers exited the vehicle.
‘There was a 45-second pursuit when she travelled at more than twice the posted speed limit before colliding with a concrete sign before eventually coming to a stop.
‘The driver was the sole occupant and police noted she had been disqualified from driving until February 2026 following a previous conviction for drug-driving.
‘A roadside drug test indicated positive for cocaine and officers noted that she had white powder around her nose at the time when she was arrested and taken to Runcorn custody suite.
‘Initially she did provide consent to blood being taken however she later rescinded this consent.
Ferns was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, after a judge accepted she needed to be at home to look after her son
A court heard Ferns, from Runcorn, Cheshire, repeatedly veered over the central white line before crashing into a concrete sign
‘This is a matter whereby there was a deliberate decision to ignore the rules of the road, a risk of danger to other road users, given the speed and the fact there was a collision.
‘The offence came about whilst evading justice and there was damage to property. She has a previous conviction on her record for drug driving.’
In mitigation Ferns’s solicitor, Brian O’Connor said: ‘This young lady has faced a number of difficulties in recent years and this gives some kind of explanation for what her behaviour was like on that day.
‘When she was released from the mother and baby unit she was placed on medication but she was taken off that medication a couple of days before this incident because of dangerously high liver function results.
‘She had gone around to a friend’s address and been given some cocaine. At the time her head was all over the place. She needs the help of the mental health team and allow her to be supported by her family.’
Ferns was also banned from driving for three years and told to pay £272 in costs and surcharge. She was told she will need to pass an extended retest before she gets her licence back. She will have to attend 15 days of rehabilitation activity.
In sentencing District Judge Ian Barnes told her: ‘You have got the full house as far as driving offences are concerned in the course of evading the police. No doubt you knew you were disqualified and you should not have been on the road.
‘Clearly given the indication at the roadside, there was cocaine in your system and I suspect all of that factored into your decision making.
‘But I also balance that against your relatively young age, your mental health and the fact your medication was stopped through no fault of your own only days before this incident.
‘I think that played at least some part in your decision making and the actions on that day.
‘You clearly have significant responsibilities for the young child – and they would be badly impacted if you were to be sent to custody.’
