A motorist has been jailed and disqualified from driving for life after causing an accident in Redbourn that left an elderly couple with serious injuries.

At around 1.20pm on October 29 last year, Karen Tilley, 54, had been driving a Skoda Octavia north on the A5183 Dunstable Road, towards the M1. Her car veered onto the wrong side of the road and collided with an oncoming Renault Clio – the contact was glancing but still caused crippling damage to both vehicles.

Tilley’s Octavia then collided head on with a second Clio causing extremely serious injuries to an elderly man and woman who had been travelling in it. The woman’s injuries included multiple broken bones and were thought to be life-threatening at the time however fortunately she survived.

Tilley, of Coldhams Lane, Cambridge, gave a roadside breath sample showing 135mg of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath – four times the legal limit. However she later failed to provide a proper blood sample.

She was charged with two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, failing to provide a specimen for analysis, driving without insurance and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

On 21st April 2017, Tilley was sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment at St Albans Crown Court for the two counts of dangerous driving to run concurrently. She was also disqualified from driving for life.

Sgt Karl McDermott, from the Beds, Cambs and Herts Road Policing Unit, said: “The two elderly victims in the other vehicle suffered substantial injuries as a result of the collision, and one in particular, was very lucky to have survived. The trail judge told the court that it was hard to imagine a worse case and considered Tilley’s actions so serious that he imposed a highly-unusual lifetime disqualification on her.

“This should be a salutary lesson to anyone who is tempted to drink and drive – the consequences are just not worth it.”

Hertfordshire Constabulary has a dedicated line 01707 354111 for members of the public to report people who they suspect regularly drink drive. If you believe someone is drink driving now, always call 999.