A woman has been handed a suspended prison sentence after crashing her car through a nursery playground fence in Ellesmere Port, leaving a two-year-old boy trapped under the wheel.
Jayne James, 63, had pulled her grey Omoda people carrier into the car park of Sunny Days Nursery on Vale Road on June 16 during the morning school drop-off. The vehicle then hurtled forward at speed, smashing through a wooden fence that separated the car park from the playground.
Cheshire Police said 22 children, aged between two and three, were in the playground at the time. The car continued through the playground before hitting a brick wall.
Child trapped under vehicle
As the car collided with the wall, a two-year-old boy was left between the wall and the front wheel of the vehicle. A staff member swiftly stepped in and managed to free the trapped child from beneath the vehicle before calling the emergency services.
Two other children were also injured by flying debris. All three children were taken to hospital, with injuries described as minor.
James was arrested at the scene and taken into custody. During her police interview, she confirmed she had been behind the wheel at the time of the incident but said she had no recollection of how the crash had unfolded.
No mechanical defects found
She said she had been driving the vehicle for several months but acknowledged that there was a feature on the automatic Omoda which meant it would start to accelerate if a particular pedal was pressed while it was stationary, Cheshire Constabulary said. After officers examined the vehicle, it was found to have no mechanical defects that could have caused or contributed to the crash.
Last Thursday (September 17), James, of Knottingley Drive in Great Sutton, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving at Chester Magistrates' Court. She received a four-month custodial sentence, suspended for 12 months.
Lives of over 20 children put at risk
She was also handed a two-year driving ban. Detective Sergeant Amy Hollis, of Cheshire Constabulary's serious collision investigation unit, said: "The lives of over 20 young children were put at serious risk as a result of James' inability to control her vehicle.
"Three of them were injured, one of them was trapped between the vehicle and a brick wall, all of them were left scared. Despite the distressing nature of the incident, I would like to give the members of staff who helped get the children to safety, as well as the attending Cheshire Police and emergency service colleagues who managed the scene my profound thanks for their efforts."
"The outcome could have been very different. I am very glad to hear that all the children injured in the collision both directly and indirectly have been discharged from hospital and have since made a full physical recovery."
"That being said, they and their families continue to be supported by our partner agencies as a result of the emotional and psychological impact of the collision which is likely to have a lasting result."
