Shame of middle-class mothers high on cocaine fuelling a rise in road deaths as number of drug driving cases soar
Published: 12:34, 27 April 2025 | Updated: 12:45, 27 April 2025
Middle-class mothers high on cocaine are among the perpetrators fuelling a rise in road deaths associated with drug drivers.
Multiple cases of women taking the Class A drug before getting behind the wheel and killing or seriously injuring others have hit the headlines in recent months amid an increasing number of deaths.
One mother had to be confronted by fellow parents who took her keys away during the school run, while Casualty actress Amanda Sainsbury left a nurse unable to work when she ran into him after taking cocaine the night before to cope with the stress of her divorce.
It was revealed in January that drug-driving deaths had risen by 50 percent to the highest number in five years between 2022 and 2023 - from 96 to 144.
And the number of drug-driving related deaths has risen by 164 percent in the last decade.
Drivers aged between aged 20 - 29 were the most likely to test positive for illegal drugs - but for women, many of the cases involve older drivers who are often mothers or middle-aged.
Cocaine, benzoylecgonine, cannabis, morphine and ketamine were the most common drugs detected in deceased drivers, with 5.1 percent of 16-24 year-olds reporting using it in 2023.
Among those killed by cocaine-fuelled female drivers were a pensioner couple travelling to celebrate a 70th birthday, a young cyclist and multiple pedestrians.
Soap actress Amanda Sainsbury - formerly Mealing - 57, was involved in a three-car collision that left a nurse unable to work again on January 26 last year
Casualty actress took cocaine to cope with divorce
Soap actress Amanda Sainsbury - formerly Mealing - 57, was involved in a three-car collision on January 26 last year.
Sainsbury who played cardio thoracic consultant Connie Beauchamp in the hit BBC medical dramas Casualty and Holby City took cocaine when she visited a friend and stayed overnight.
She was driving home the next day on the A1175 near to Hop Pope in Lincolnshire when her car drifted across the road and smashed into an oncoming Skoda being driven by nurse Mark Le Sage who was seriously injured and had to give up his career as a result.
The accident happened at 10.14am on January 26 last year just yards away from her front door in Deeping St Nicholas, Lincolnshire.
Sainsbury, suffered a cut to the head, a broken wrist and a broken clavicle in the crash, and tested positive for cocaine in a roadside test.
Sainsbury, a mother-of-two, later admitted to two charges of driving with a proportion of a specified controlled drug over the specified limit, Benzoylecgonine and Cocaine, and a charge of driving without due care and attention.
She admitted driving with cocaine in her system and driving without due care and attention and was banned from driving for 28 months, reduced to 22 months as she had already served a six month interim ban.
Mealing, 57, was said to have been dealing with the traumatic deaths of her father, her best friend and her dog when she took the Class A drug the night before the smash.
Magistrates heard how she also turned to cocaine while going through divorce proceedings on top of the trio of tragedies in her life.
The Holby City and Casualty star (centre, in Casualty) had been driving on the A1175 near to Hop Pope in Lincolnshire
As well as everything else, her solicitor revealed that she was also now battling blood cancer.
Mealing whose brother died of a drugs overdose when he was aged 18 was also fined GBP485, and ordered to pay GBP400 costs and a surcharge of GBP194. She offered to pay at a rate of GBP100 a month, which was accepted by the court.
Her solicitor Lloyd Edwards detailed the pressures she was under at the time of the accident, saying: 'Unfortunately it came at a terrible moment in her life.
'She tells me she was undergoing divorce proceedings from her husband, which was extremely upsetting.
'Within a short space of time her father had died, she had to put her dog down and her best friend had died. So all of these events occurred.
It was deeply, deeply upsetting.
'She is, however, a lady who has significant health problems. She suffers from blood cancer, so she's not working at the present time.'
Nurse Mark Le Sage, who was caught up in the crash, told the Mail he was left unable to work after the crash after developing a tremor.
Drug driver confronted by other parents on the school run
Berry, of Roseberry Avenue, Ramsgate, admitted drug-driving and driving while unfit through drugs when she appeared before magistrates in Margate on March 7
A drug-driving mother was so high on cocaine on the school run that shocked parents had to intervene by taking her car keys and walking her children to class.
Hayley Berry, 36, sparked concern from fellow parents after she stopped her Ford C-Max in the middle of Grosvenor Road in Broadstairs, Kent, while attempting to drop her children off at school last year.
The mother was told by a magistrate it was 'one of the worst examples of drug-driving' he had ever seen as he condemned her for getting behind the wheel with her young children in the back.
A stranger - worried she was not in a fit state to drive - seized the keys off her while others walked her children the rest of the way to their school, it was heard.
The incident was escalated to the police and Berry was arrested at the scene and later charged.
Berry, from Ramsgate, Kent, admitted drug-driving and driving while unfit through drugs when she appeared before magistrates in Margate on March 7.
The court was told that when her blood was tested she gave a reading of 83 micrograms of the cocaine byproduct Benzoylecgonine per litre of blood - while the legal limit is 50.
Magistrates heard she also had GHB - a drug with sedative and anaesthetic effects - in her system on the day she was arrested but had not been over the limit for that substance.
Lucie Fish, prosecuting, told the court Berry had stopped in the middle of the road with her children in the back on November 11 last year.
Ms Fish said: 'A man took the keys because she looked like she wasn't in a fit state [to drive].
'He put his hand up and stopped her and did take the keys but then she parked up and some women walked the children to school.'
Nigel Numas, defending, read out a reference from an individual supporting Berry in overcoming drug addiction who said the mother had made some personal growth in the 24 months she had known her.
The reference said she was now making better choices in her life, took full responsibility for her actions, had genuine remorse and was determined to rebuild her life.
Mr Numas added: 'The process [of her trying to beat cocaine] has been going on a couple of years, but a man she was seeing gave her what she thought was a legal high and she drank it and didn't realise it was GHB.
'She's had two relapses [in the 24 months] so she's making great strides, but she was naive about what she drank.'
Magistrates jailed Berry for eight weeks but the term was suspended for 12 months. She was also ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.
Asleep at the wheel after partying
Jessica Higgs, 20, fell asleep at the wheel of her delivery van before fatally ploughing into an elderly couple while under the influence of cocaine
Thelma Huse and Tony Mist, both 69, from Mytchett, Surrey, were on their way to Charmouth, Dorset, for a glamping trip to celebrate Mr Mist's 70th birthday two days later
Higgs was taken to hospital where tests showed a level of benzoylecgonine - which occurs after cocaine use - that exceeded the legal limit
Delivery driver Jessica Higgs, 20, of Warminster, Wiltshire, killed partners Tony Mist and Thelma Huse, both 69, on the A303 in West Camel, Somerset, in May 2023.
Higgs, an electrical apprentice, had been driving a Mercedes Citan van when she fell asleep and crashed into the couple's Fiat 500.
Higgs was taken to hospital where tests showed a level of benzoylecgonine - which occurs after cocaine use - that exceeded the legal limit.
Driver Mr Mist was pronounced deceased at the scene and Ms Huse died the following day.
The couple, from Mytchett, Surrey, were on their way to Charmouth, Dorset, for a glamping trip to celebrate Mr Mist's 70th birthday.
Taunton Crown Court heard that Higgs had driven from Salisbury, Wiltshire, to Axminster, Devon, taking two hours.
She then had a nap and a break before setting off on her return journey.
But as she drove her Mercedes van on the A303 at Camel Hill near Yeovilton, Somerset, she momentarily fell asleep at the wheel and drifted across the 50mph road carriageway into the westbound lane of Tony Mist and his partner Thelma Huse, who were both 69-years-old.
The court heard Higgs, from Warminster, Wilts, had been driving well before she dozed off.
A witness told police they saw the van drift from the eastbound carriageway across the central white line, before colliding with the couple's car.
The court heard Higgs went to a party on May 13 and took cocaine, last consuming the drug in the early hours of May 14 - around 36 hours before the crash.
She went to bed early that day and awoke at 6am before being collected for work at 6.25am.
Later that morning, she was tasked with driving her work van from Salisbury to Axminster.
Higgs was sentenced to three years and five months behind bars, and was banned from driving for six years and eight months.
Fled the scene to 'see her children'
Jade Devine, from Flimby in Cumbria, struck and killed 31-year-old Bethanie Clark and 44-year-old David Muir
Bethanie Clark (pictured), 31, died after being hit by Devine, who was also under the influence of alcohol at the time
Jade Devine, from Flimby in Cumbria, struck and killed 31-year-old Bethanie Clark and 44-year-old David Muir in the early hours of 15 May 2022.
The 33-year-old mother was speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.
She had travelled to Workington to purchase cocaine and hit the two pedestrians on her return home.
Devine failed to stop at the scene and Ms Clark and Mr Muir were later found at the side of the A596 by a passerby.
Officers visited Devine's home and caught her as she was trying to flee through her garden gate.
Before she was arrested she visited a neighbour's home to ask for help and told them: 'I've killed two people. That's it my life is over.'
After initially denying the charges she was sentenced to eight years in prison and banned from driving for nine years and four months.
Explaining her decision to flee the scene, Devine told officers that she knew she would end up going to prison but wanted to get home to see her children first.
She was sentenced to a 14-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and was banned from driving for three years.
Mother took cocaine after bingo to 'stay awake'
Samantha Doherty, 34, is pictured outside court after taking to the wheel while drunk and under the influence of cocaine
Mother-of-two Samantha Doherty, 34, lost control of her BMW while under the influence of alcohol and drugs on February 11 this year.
Doherty had attended a bingo night and had three passengers in her car - but then took cocaine 'to help her concentration'.
She was spotted by a police car travelling at between 80 and 90mph in a 30mph limit, before losing control of her vehicle at a sharp left hand turn.
The vehicle ploughed into a garden wall in Huyton, Knowsley, causing it to collapse.
Fortunately neither she nor her passengers - her sister and two cousins - were injured in the crash. They had been enjoying a night out to celebrate the life of their late grandmother.
Doherty, of Rainhill, admitted dangerous driving and drink and drug driving.
She wiped away teears as her defence barrister told the court that she had no previous convictions and was 'a stay-at-home mum'.
He told the court: 'She is thoroughly ashamed of her conduct and to be here today.'
She was sentenced to a 14-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and was banned from driving for three years.
Fought with the father of her children over another woman
Jennifer Blackwood, 34, was driving along Brownlow Hill in Liverpool City Centre while having eight times the legal amount of cocaine in her system
Her partner Anthony Critchlow yanked on the handbrake while she was travelling at 68 mph - more than double the speed limit
Blackwood (right) and Critchlow are seen leaving court after killing the retired bank clerk
Jennifer Blackwood, 34, was driving along Brownlow Hill in Liverpool City Centre while having eight times the legal amount of cocaine in her system.
She was travelling at more than double the speed limit - at 68mph - and was arguing with her partner Anthony Critchlow, after he told her he had started a new relationship with a woman who was pregnant with his child.
When she refused to pull over, Critchlow yanked on the handbrake, leading to the couple losing control of the car, which mounted the pavement and struck retired bank clerk Barbara Jones, 60.
Ms Jones regained consciousness at the scene but died two days later in hospital during emergency surgery.
Critchlow admitted causing death by dangerous driving was jailed for seven years of which he will have to serve two thirds.
He was disqualified today from driving for nine years ten months.
Blackwood, mother of his four children, was jailed for 12 months and banned from the road for two years.
She had admitted driving dangerously and while over the limit for cocaine and cannabis.
Mother-of-three killed cyclist
Anya Foster, 32, of St Helens, knocked down and killed cyclist David Burrows, 59. while high on cocaine
David Burrows, 59, died the same day he was struck by Foster, who fled the scene
Mother-of-three Anya Foster, 32, of St Helens, knocked down and killed cyclist David Burrows, 59, on December 1 2023.
Foster was running late for a 6am meeting when she set off from her home at 6:18am.
She was speeding, driving with a frosted over windshield and under the influence of cocaine and cannabis when she hit Mr Burrows from behind.
The cyclist was wearing a high vis vest, helmet and had both front and rear lights illuminated at the time of the incident.
The impact of the crash saw Mr Burrow's head hit the windscreen and his bike wheels fold when he was struck at 41 mph in a 30mph zone.
Foster failed to stop at the scene and her victim was only discovered later that morning by a pedestrian.
He was rushed to hospital but died shortly afterwards.
The driver was only caught after an anonymous tip to police from a member of the public who said she had confessed to them that she was involved in a crash.
Foster claimed she smoked cannabis once a week to ease 'severe back pain' and used cocaine once a month with friends, denying that she took the drug the night before the crash.
However, tests found she was five times above the limit for cocaine despite tests being carried out 12 hours after the crash.
She ultimately pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving whilst under the influence of drugs and was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison.
She was disqualified from driving for 11 years and 8 months and must do an extended retest before she can drive again.
References
- ^ ELIZABETH HAIGH (www.dailymail.co.uk)