R v Jenniver Harris

Facts

The appellant, Jenniver Harris, left the King of Wessex Public House in Basingstoke on 26 September 2023 in a state of considerable distress following an ongoing argument with her ex-partner over the telephone. CCTV footage from the car park showed her starting her car, briefly reversing it, then pressing the accelerator and driving directly across a busy dual carriageway, mounting the opposite kerb, crossing the pavement and a grassed area before striking a brick wall. The impact caused considerable damage to both the wall and the vehicle and rendered her unconscious for a short period. On regaining consciousness she became abusive towards the police and refused a breathalyser test, though no charge followed because her behaviour prevented the required warning being given. She told the police she had been trying to kill herself. She was 54 at the time and had two previous driving convictions: driving while unfit in 2002 and driving with excess alcohol in 2019. Following a trial in the Crown Court at Winchester she was convicted on 17 December 2025 of dangerous driving, contrary to section 2 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, and on 3 February 2026 Recorder Allman sentenced her to 12 months' imprisonment suspended for 18 months, with rehabilitation activity and unpaid work requirements, and disqualified her from driving for three years and until an extended re-test was passed. She appealed against the disqualification with the leave of the single judge.