A pub landlord has criticised police for not pursuing a dangerous driving charge against a woman who caused more than £50,000 of damage by crashing into his 16th century pub while trying to make last orders.
Natasha Searle, 25, had ‘a few drinks’ at home with a friend before trying to make it in time to a nearby pub.
But the mother lost control of her BMW as an oncoming vehicle approached when she neared The Wortwell Bell, near Harleston in Norfolk, and she ploughed into the Grade II-listed building.
She then fled the scene, leaving her friend stuck in the passenger seat before firefighters arrived to cut her free.
Searle appeared at Great Yarmouth Magistrates Court on Thursday where she pleaded guilty to driving without insurance, failing to report and accident and failing to stop after an accident.
A pub landlord has criticised police for not pursuing a dangerous driving charge against Natasha Searle, 25, who caused more than £50,000 of damage after crashing into The Wortwell Bell, near Harleston in Norfolk
She escaped with a 12-month driving ban and fines totalling £2,365 after her solicitor told magistrates she had not been charged with drink driving or driving without due care and attention and they ‘must focus’ on the offences brought against her.
His client ‘accepts she had consumed some alcohol’, but he claimed she ‘wasn’t drunk’ and is ‘deeply apologetic’.
Speaking after the hearing, Searle – who emerged smiling – said: ‘I am really sorry that this happened.
‘It is the biggest mistake of my life and I cannot explain how seriously apologetic I am for it.
‘I am just so glad that fortunately nobody was hurt in the incident and I just want to put this behind me, having learned my lesson and focus on being the best mother.’
But Paul Holland, who was the pub’s landlord at the time of the crash, criticised police for failing to bring more serious charges against her.
‘I don’t know why the police didn’t act quicker to get the driver for drink-driving. The fact that she got away with it is just ridiculous,’ he said.
‘At the time of the crash, one of my regulars was literally about to go outside for a cigarette and sit on the bench that got crashed into the pub.
Paul Holland, who was the pub’s landlord at the time of the crash, criticised police for failing to bring more serious charges against Searle, who damaged the Grade II-listed building
‘He would have been killed. So how wasn’t she charged for dangerous driving or driving without due care or attention I just will never understand.’
Searle had drinks with the friend at her home in Harleston on May 17 before driving five miles to the Homersfield Black Swan.
At about 11pm, when the pub was closing, they were outside having a cigarette when they decided to look for another pub that was still open.
Natasha Searle had ‘a few drinks’ at home with a friend before trying to make it before closing time to the pub
They thought they’d try The Wortwell Bell, which was five minutes away, and set off again in Searle’s silver BMW.
But the defendant ‘had to swerve’ to avoid an oncoming car and veered into the pub they had been hoping to visit, causing £53,000 of damage.
Her solicitor, Calvin Saker, explained she left the scene without waiting for police to arrive because she ‘felt intimidated’ by the angry customers who confronted her.
As a result, she contacted her boyfriend, who came and collected her.
Mr Saker added the BMW had been a given to her as a gift and she believed she was insured.
He also said she tried to call police to report the incident.
Searle was assessed by the Probation Service, which concluded she was both ‘unsuitable’ and ‘unable’ to comply with the conditions of a community order due to personal reasons.
Some £2,000 of the fines imposed by the court will be used to cover the excess on the insurance policy Mr Holland had for his pub.
Norfolk Police was contacted for comment.
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