Mother who lied to police about Wakefield car crash avoids being locked up

Sammy Jo Bryan had been drinking and was the passenger in a vehicle from which she and her friend fled after the collision on George Street in Streethouse, near Wakefield.

It happened on February 16 last year, and she recently appeared at Leeds Crown Court where she admitted a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Brief details of the incident were outlined in court by prosecutor Jennifer Gatland, who said the crash happened at around 11pm. Both Bryan and her friend, who was driving, fled the scene. She later lied about the crash to police but was caught out when CCTV was checked and found her to be the passenger.

Following her arrest, Bryan, of Cypress Road, Normanton, gave a no-comment interview. She has one previous conviction dating back to when she was a youth.

No mitigation was offered by her barrister after the judge, Recorder Simon Jackson KC, said he would not lock the 32-year-old up, despite conceding the charge "crossed the custody threshold".

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He said she had behaved "stupidly" and added: "You committed this offence in drink and in panic. You persisted in the lie. Making false statements to the police is very serious. It is aggravated by the fact you were in drink."

However, he said the factors were "outweighed" by her personal factors. He said she had "child obligations" and added: "You need support to address what has been largely unaddressed mental-health difficulties. For that reason I will suspend the sentence.

"Get you life back on track, take the help available and do not come back."

He handed her an eight-month sentence, suspended for 18 months, and gave her 10 rehabilitation days.