A DRIVER refused to stop at a police road closure and forced officers to run for safety after a night with an estranged partner ended badly.

Zelah Webb, 41, of Broad Street, Ross-on-Wye, admitted dangerous driving and failing to provide a specimen of breath for analysis.

Simon Phillips, prosecuting, told Hereford Crown Court on Monday that the incident happened in the early hours of May 7.

An earlier accident had closed the A49 near Hereford in both directions and police were on the scene conducting investigations.

“About a mile from the scene PC Mason Roberts was flagging cars down and telling them to take a different route,” said Mr Phillips.

“A blue Astra pulled up, PC Roberts spoke to the driver and smelt alcohol in the car. He asked Webb if she had been drinking and she replied that she had drank a glass of wine. PC Roberts asked her to turn the engine off and attempted to open the driver’s door. Webb then revved the engine and sped off nearly driving over PC Robert’s feet.

“A stinger device was deployed to pop her car tyres as, although the road was not completely blocked by the accident, police officers believed there was a real risk of her crashing and officers were in some fear as they had nowhere to go.

“She continued to drive around the crash and smashed a GPS tracker valued at £5,000.”

CCTV evidence showed two police officers running from the road and taking cover. Half a mile later, Webb pulled over into a lay-by. At the scene she blew 76 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – 35 is the legal limit. She later failed to provide a sample at the police station.

Mark Thompson, mitigating said Webb had an ‘impeccably’ good character with no previous convictions but was escaping her estranged husband on the night of the incident.

He said: “She had been in a long and abusive relationship with her estranged partner. She knew she had drunk during a meal at a pub and had no intention of getting in the car.

“Everyone is entitled to a really bad mistake in their life and this is hers. Had it not been for that relationship she simply wouldn’t be before any court.” Judge Daniel Pearce-Higgins ordered Webb to complete 100 hours of unpaid work, to complete five days of rehabilitation activity and a drink driving programme. He said: “The night out with your estranged husband didn’t end well.” Webb was also banned from driving for 12 months and ordered to take an extended re-test on completion.