According to major media reports, Zara Ferns, from Runcorn, Cheshire, ignored a drug-driving ban and crashed her SUV into a concrete sign after a police chase. Warrington Magistrates' Court heard her car was spotted by a patrol in the early hours of Sunday January 25th veering over the road so she was stopped, but she sped off as the officer got out. Prosecutor Chelsea Keans 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 and siren to cause the vehicle to stop. The vehicle did initially stop before accelerating away at speed when the officers exited the vehicle.' Zara Ferns crashed into a concrete street sign and was arrested at the scene. Officers found Zara Ferns with white powder all around her nose after the crash. The timeline from when she left her son to the police chase is unclear.
Zara Ferns faced up to two years in jail after admitting dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, failing to stop when required by a constable, failing to provide a specimen for analysis, and driving without insurance. 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.' District Judge Ian Barnes said: 'Clearly given the indication at the road side, there was cocaine in your system and I suspect all of that factored into your decision making.' The specific charges and penalties for each driving offence were not detailed in court reports.
Zara Ferns narrowly avoided jail with a 12-month suspended sentence after a judge accepted she needed to be at home to look after her four month-old son. District Judge Ian Barnes said: '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.' District Judge Ian Barnes said: 'You clearly have significant responsibilities for the young child - and they would be badly impacted if you were to be sent to custody.' The court heard Zara Ferns had been confined to the mother and baby unit following a bout of 'post-natal psychosis' but was discharged last November with medication. Zara Ferns had been allowed home from the hospital with her newborn son after a severe bout of post-natal problems. Trouble began last January when she was taken off the pills due to health complications and she went to visit a friend who gave her cocaine. What specific health complications led to Zara Ferns being taken off her medication is unclear. Zara Ferns left her infant son with his grandmother while snorting cocaine at a friend's house. It is unknown what measures are in place to monitor her suspended sentence and mental health treatment.