A drunk mum shouted "you're not stopping me" and drove away with a police officer clinging to the side of her Range Rover. Candace Desilva "could have killed" the PC as she attempted to flee the scene of her arrest in her 4x4 before crying: "I just wanna go home to my children."
Incident details
The traffic officer was left with serious injuries, having been dragged along a main road by the car, and still requires the use of a crutch nearly two years later. While a judge told her that her actions had been "absolutely appalling", she was ultimately spared prison because of her neurodivergent children.
Liverpool Crown Court heard on Monday that Desilva was pulled over by PC Simon Ward on Leeds Street in Liverpool city centre at around 4.15pm on September 14 2024 after being seen using her mobile phone behind the wheel and performing an illegal U-turn. The 37-year-old, of Oakfield Road in Anfield, was then noted to have "glazed eyes and slurred speech", with roadside tests finding her to have 90 micrograms of alcohol for 100ml of breath, the legal limit being 35 micrograms.
Attempt to flee
Nardeen Nemat, prosecuting, described how PC Ward requested for a female colleague to attend the scene in order to allow for Desilva to be searched. But, after he was told that no such officer was available, the defendant said: "See, there is nobody else coming. You're not f***ing searching me. I'm going. You can't stop me."
At this, Desilva started the engine and began driving the vehicle forwards. PC Ward meanwhile attempted to remove the keys from the ignition and repeatedly told her to stop the car, having "feared for the safety" of a mum pushing a pram nearby on the pavement.
The officer meanwhile grabbed hold of the steering wheel in an attempt to avoid being dragged underneath the vehicle, with his feet being lifted off the ground as a result. The driver meanwhile repeatedly struck out at him, causing lacerations to his fingers and the palm of his hand.
Officer's injuries
PC Ward was then able to hit his panic button and deployed his PAVA spray into Desilva's eyes, at which she told her passenger to place the car into sport mode, leading to this second woman also being sprayed. He continues to walk using a crutch and wears a knee brace as a result of injuries to his leg, which it is feared will be permanent, as well as suffering from symptoms of PTSD.
Footage from PC Ward's body worn camera which was played to the court showed Desilva wearing hooped earrings behind the wheel of her silver Range Rover with a pair of sunglasses perched on her head while shouting: "What is that spray? What is that spray?"
After being informed that she was being arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker, Desilva then added: "I just wanna go home to my children. I haven't touched you. I've done nothing. Drag me out please."
Defence and sentence
Desilva was also heard telling her passenger "take care of my children" before refusing orders to place her hand on the centre of her chest upon being detained, stating: "I can't see. You pepper sprayed me. I can't see. My eyes are burning. Is your camera on? Let me see, is your camera on? I'm not afraid of him."
Later, Desilva went on to resist arrest by throwing herself to floor, causing a set of handcuffs to scrape down a second officer's forearm. She was previously fined by magistrates for drink driving and using a mobile phone while driving in relation to the same incident.
Charles Lander, defending, told the court that his client was a mum of four, with two of her children having been diagnosed with neurodivergent conditions and having special educational needs, adding: "The offence dates back to September 2024. For whatever reason, the prosecution took their time to ultimately charge her with these offences."
"She has worked for four years as an account manager for the Royal College of Physicians. They are fully aware of these proceedings. Her partner does not work. The reality is, if she loses her liberty today, they will lose their residence. Her partner would not be able to fund the rent."
"This defendant has not tried to run away from her actions on that day. Immediately, before any court proceedings were initiated, she voluntarily registered with Alcoholics Anonymous and NHS talking therapies. She recognised that she had drunk too much on that day."
"Clearly that is not the fault of PC Ward, who had the misfortune to come out to a drunken individual who behaved in the way that she did. She is not a regular drinker. She drunk too much on that day and got into her car and behaved in the way that she did. She has not drunk any alcohol since that day."
"The relationship with her partner has experienced some difficulties. He had an affair and, during that time, he fathered another child. Unusually, when they then came to Liverpool from Bermuda, that child came to live with them. She had to act as a mother for that child before that child's mother came over from Bermuda. The defendant is someone who has suffered with PTSD, someone who has recognised mental health issues and someone who really would suffer in custody."
Desilva admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving and assaulting an emergency worker. She was handed a 28-month imprisonment suspended for two years with 140 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 15 days.
Judge's remarks
Sentencing, Judge Garrett Byrne said: "You were over the legal limit, considerably so, and you were rightly arrested and cautioned. You then put the key in the ignition and made to drive off. PC Ward took hold of your hands to stop you."
"You then placed the vehicle in drive and drove forwards with PC Ward being dragged along, shouting that you were going home. You travelled about six car lengths before the officer was able to incapacitate you. Your behaviour continued by lashing out at him."
"PC Ward describes desperately trying not be dragged under the vehicle. He now suffers from very serious and lifelong injuries. Your behaviour here was absolutely appalling."
"Your reckless actions did not just cause serious and permanent injuries to a public servant, someone acting on behalf all of us to protect us, keeping the roads safe from people such as yourself, who are prepared to drink and drive, but you could have killed him. This is a very, very serious matter indeed."
"Although there is clearly a prospect of rehabilitation, the question for the court is whether this incident is so serious that only an immediate term of imprisonment can be justified. There is one matter and one matter alone that weighs in favour of suspension, and that is this. That you have four children, two of whom have special needs."
"Although you did not give them sufficient thought that day, I have to. And for that reason and that reason alone, I will suspend the sentence."
Desilva was also banned from driving for three years. She will be required to pass an extended retest before being allowed back behind the wheel.
