A mother and son have been jailed for a vigilante attack in which they forced another driver off the road, believing he was responsible for an assault that injured a family member. Hollie Dance, 50, was sentenced to four years in prison, while her son, Thomas Summers, 26, received a five-year term following the incident in October 2022.
Details of the attack
Basildon Crown Court heard that Dance drove a BMW, pursuing the victim's Peugeot from Southend to Basildon in Essex. Prosecutor Richard Scott stated that Dance "ran [the victim] off the road ... forcing him into a tree," ejecting him from his vehicle. Summers, driving a hired Toyota, then "rammed into [the man] and sent him into a bush," according to Mr Scott. The victim sustained significant injuries, including a fractured and dislocated shoulder and a fractured foot.
Motive and background
The court was told the defendants, both from Southend, "believed the complainant in this case had been involved in an incident in which another member of their family had been hurt," specifically Dance's daughter and Summers' sister. However, the victim denied these allegations, saying: "I can confirm this is not true, this is something I would not have done."
Dance's defence highlighted the "harrowing months" she had endured prior to the offence. She is the mother of Archie Battersbee, who died aged 12 in August 2022 after his life support was withdrawn following a High Court battle. An inquest later concluded the boy's death was accidental, resulting from a "prank or experiment" gone wrong. Defence barrister Ms Ihuomah noted that the offences were committed "weeks after the burial of her son." Dance also has previous convictions for actual bodily harm in 1996 and drink-driving in 2017.
Convictions and sentencing
Both Dance and Summers were found guilty after an earlier trial of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. Dance also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and was found guilty of possessing a prohibited weapon – a gas canister. Summers pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and was found guilty of affray.
Recorder Peter Clark acknowledged the "desperately sad" loss of Archie Battersbee, and that "somebody assaulted and injured your daughter and your sister." However, he stressed that there are "correct ways to respond to unlawful behaviour." He told the defendants: "Your response was completely unlawful, you sought revenge," adding that "all the evidence suggests you sought revenge against a person wrongly identified as the perpetrator."
In addition to their prison sentences, Dance was banned from driving for 43 months, and Summers received a four-year driving ban. As she was led to the cells, Dance blew a kiss to the public gallery, while Summers made a peace sign.
