Mum of seven jailed for driving offences

Date published: 08 August 2014


A MOTHER-of-seven has been jailed after driving while disqualified and three times over the drink-drive limit.

Mary Whitehead (43) of Wimpole Street, Higginshaw Village, also admitted taking a Transit van without consent, driving without insurance and possessing cannabis.

Prosecuting at Oldham Magistrates’ Court yesterday, Lynn Rogers told how the owner of the van had been working in Equitable Street and had left his key in the driver’s door at 3.15pm on Monday.

The van was reported stolen and minutes later, a police officer, who had heard about the theft on his radio, saw Whitehead driving the van slowly towards him. She was arrested and taken to Chadderton Police Station where she produced a small bag of cannabis.

Mrs Rogers added: “She said she’d been drinking at a friend’s. She saw the van and the keys, drove to Lees and was stopped by police.”

Whitehead was three times over the drink-drive limit.

Defending, Greg Kemp, said: “This case saddens me as it comes on the back of too much drink, partly because of the death of her brother a month ago.

“She has seven children aged 10-19 who have all been taken into care because she couldn’t cope.

“It never goes away from her so she drinks.”

He added that Whitehead would not be likely to commit a similar offence again.

Chair of the magistrates, Alan Hallworth, said the offences were so serious that the bench had no choice but to send her to prison for four months for the driving offences.

She is also disqualified from driving for three years. An order was made for forfeiture of the drugs.