09 February 2024 , 11:00
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A drink-driver who reversed her car over a one-year-old baby has been jailed, as it emerged the infant miraculously survived.
Mary Casey reversed her Nissan Qashquai over her baby great-niece who was on a pavement at the time after the 34-year-old got into a crash. Casey had overtaken four cars at a red light, driving the wrong way down a one-street in Cambridge when it happened.
Dangerous driver Casey then swerved around a corner through No Entry signs, crashing into two parked cars while she had young family members in the car at the time. Her great niece was taken out of the car by another passenger and put on the pavement by St Barnabas Road, Cambridge.
Casey then reversed the car, running over the baby who was sitting on the pavement. She continued driving the wrong way down a road before stopping after her car became too damaged to drive. The youngster was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in the city suffering from serious injuries, including a bleed on the brain, fractured skull and fractured ribs.
The damaged Qashqai Casey was driving at the time (Cambridgeshire Constabulary / SW SWNS)Whilst Casey and the other passengers were taken to hospital as a precaution, Casey was found to be over the legal limit for driving. Casey was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court on Wednesday (Feb 7) to 20 months in prison for causing serious injury by dangerous driving after pleading guilty.
Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him
The court heard that Casey’s intoxication was an aggravating factor in the collisions on July 24, 2022. She was also disqualified from driving for three years and 10 months, as well as having to take an extended re-test.
A CCTV image of Casey overtaking the cars on Mill Road before driving down St Barnabas Road the wrong way (Cambridgeshire Constabulary / SW SWNS)PC Edd Davidson-Smith said: “This was a shocking incident where Casey has driven recklessly and has seriously injured one of her young relatives. The outcome was very close to being a fatality and at one point, the little girl was given six hours to live and it is only thanks to extensive medical treatment, she is alive today.
“I hope this sentence provides a warning to drivers out there who think it is acceptable to drive recklessly or once they have consumed alcohol. Casey put so many people at risk during this episode of thoughtless driving, so I am glad she has been jailed.”