A DRIVER fell asleep at the wheel and “drifted” across the road before crashing into a car heading in the opposite direction.

Rachel Judith Rose told police officers she had started to feel “sleepy” in the minutes before the crash on the A31 between Stag Gate and the World’s End pub.

She intended to pull over in the pub car park having felt it was not possible to do so any earlier due to the traffic conditions, Bournemouth Crown Court heard.

Judge Jonathan Fuller QC said she had made an “error in judgement” by not stopping earlier.

The court heard that when police arrived at the scene of the crash, 55-year-old Rose said: “I am really sorry. I think I feel asleep.

“I was going to pull over. I am really sorry.”

Prosecuting, Samantha Ball said Rose was at the wheel of a Nissan Note when the crash took place at around 2.15pm on February 24, with the defendant driving home to Weymouth having flown from America to Heathrow.

The barrister said the defendant’s vehicle collided with a Nissan Juke heading eastbound, which was being driven by Virginia Lawes and contained two passengers – her elderly parents John and Shelia Chambers.

Both passengers were taken to hospital having sustained serious injuries, including broken bones. When they were discharged, their daughter had to move in with them to support their needs.

A victim personal statement from Ms Lawes said she had suffered emotionally, physically and financially since the crash, and her lifestyle was different now.

Bournemouth Echo:

Mitigating, Francisca da Costa said it was a “very sad and unfortunate case” for the victims and the defendant.

“She made full admissions and was very helpful, police comment, in her voluntary interview,” Ms da Costa said.

The barrister added: “From the very moment she was spoken to she was very honest and remorseful about her actions.”

Rose, who had no previous convictions and a clean driving licence, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving at the earliest opportunity.

Ms da Costa said her client started to feel “sleepy” five or 10 minutes before the incident having previously felt fine.

She said the defendant planned to stop at the World’s End pub.

“Being a lone female, she was looking for an appropriate place to stop,” Ms da Costa said.

“She was taking steps to address her sleepy feeling but unfortunately it was too late.”

Rose, who works seven days a week mainly as a bookkeeper with 30 years’ experience in accountancy, had “genuine and profound remorse”, the court was told.

The barrister said the defendant, of Argyle Road, Weymouth, was “very sorry” and she was “clearly aware of the harm that she has caused”.

Judge Fuller KC, who handed down a 12-month suspended sentence, suspended for 12 months, said: “The nature of the driving was short lived, but the consequences were considerable.”

He accepted the remorse expressed by the defendant, adding: “You also have full understanding of the affect of your driving on Mr and Mrs Chambers and Ms Lawes”

The judge said: “In my view the custody threshold is crossed but in the circumstances of this case, your good character and the duration of the driving, bad as it was, being short, I can properly suspended that sentence of imprisonment.”

Rose was disqualified from driving for two years and ordered to pay £425 costs and complete 200 hours of unpaid work.

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