Drink-driver ran over one-year-old great niece as she fled crash in Cambridge

Mary Casey, 34, ran over her infant great niece and drove her car the wrong way down a road in Cambridge in July 2023 while drunk causing the one year-old critical injuries
Mary Casey ran over her one year-old great niece while drunk behind the wheel of a car in Cambridge. Credit: Cambridgeshire Police

A drunk-driver hit her one-year-old great niece after driving the wrong way down a one-way street, leaving the toddler just hours from death.

Mary Casey, 34, went on to the wrong side of the road as she overtook four cars waiting at traffic lights on Mill Road in Cambridge in July 2023, then careered at speed around a corner and crashed into two parked cars.

Casey’s niece was sitting in the front passenger seat with her one-year-old on her lap when the accident happened.

Casey's own two children and another great niece were in the back of the car, said Cambridgeshire Police.

After crashing, the passenger put her daughter on the pavement while trying to retrieve the other children - at which point Casey reversed the car, hitting the toddler on the pavement.

Mary Casey pulled on to the wrong side of the road to overtake four cars at traffic lights. Credit: Cambridgeshire Police

She then drove the wrong way down St Barnabas Road, only stopping when her car became undrivable due to the damage caused.

The girl was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital having suffered serious injuries, including a bleed on the brain, fractured skull and fractured ribs.

All of the other occupants of the car were taken to hospital as a precaution.

While there Casey, of St Albans in Hertfordshire, was tested for alcohol and was found to be over the legal limit to drive.

She pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court to 20 months in prison and banned from driving for three years and 10 months.

PC Edd Davidson-Smith said: “This was a shocking incident where Casey has driven recklessly and has seriously injured one of her young relatives.

“The outcome was very close to being a fatality and at one point, the little girl was given six hours to live and it is only thanks to extensive medical treatment, she is alive today.

“I hope this sentence provides a warning to drivers out there who think it is acceptable to drive recklessly or once they have consumed alcohol.

"Casey put so many people at risk during this episode of thoughtless driving, so I am glad she has been jailed.”

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