Drink-driving mother-of-four admits killing two of her children in M1 crash after going on run

A drink-driving mother-of-four has today admitted killing two of her children in a motorway horror crash.

Mary McCann was driving her Vauxhall Astra car down the M1 with her two youngsters, Lilly and Smaller in the back of the car, when the vehicle hit a Scania HGV.

The two children, aged four years and 10 years respectively, were killed instantly in the horrific collision near Milton Keynes, Bucks, in August last year.

McCann, from Derby, was charged soon after the crash after police discovered she had been drinking.

However, after being charged, she went on the run for nearly a week. Prosecutors previously said she had failed to contact her solicitors after the funeral of her two children.

Today the 35-year-old was back in court, where she appeared before Judge Francis Sheridan.

The judge, sitting at Aylesbury Crown Court, heard that after extensive negotiations, McCann had admitted two counts of causing death by careless driving while unfit through drink.

McCann (pictured with her son Smaller), from Derby, was charged soon after the crash after police discovered she had been drinking 

Mary McCann was driving her Vauxhall Astra car down the M1 with her two youngsters, Lilly (pictured left) and Smaller (pictured right) in the back of the car, when the family car became involved in a dramatic crash with a Scania HGV

Today the 35-year-old was back in court, where she appeared before Judge Francis Sheridan. The judge heard that after extensive negotiations, McCann, of Derby, admitted two counts of causing death by careless driving

McCann, who was wearing a bright pink tee-shirt and a large necklace, watched as her defence barrister, Laban Leake, asked Judge Sheridan to delay her sentencing so that a psychiatric report could be prepared about her. 

No details of the incident were read to the court today and McCann, who was remanded in custody, will be sentenced in April.

Judge Sheridan today pitied the police who had rushed to the tragic scene, saying: ‘Who would want to be a member of the roads policing unit having to attend scenes like this. I don’t know how they do it.’

Prosecutor had previously told the court that McCann had absconded after failing to appear for a court hearing.

At the previous hearing, prosecutor Heather Stangoe told the judge: ‘Unfortunately, we do not know where she is. 

‘We were informed through her solicitor that they had failed to make contact with the defendant. Her bail address was her sister’s and she is not there.

‘It was the funeral of her children this week.;

The judge issued a warrant for her arrest saying he wanted the Home Office to put ports and airports on alert for her.

‘It is most likely she will flee to Ireland,’ he said.

He added: ‘This is a sad case, but by absconding to avoid the indictment being put is in my view tactical.’

The children’s aunt, Margaret McCann, 26, previously said the family were on the way back from a party in London when the horror crash occurred.

Their mother’s Facebook page showed an image of smaller next to a birthday cake and 10th birthday balloon from earlier that day

There was also a post of a birthday cake showing it was Smaller’s 10th birthday on the day he died

The HGV driver was not injured in the incident, which happened at about 11.10pm on Monday August 9 (file photo)

Ms McCann was herself injured in the crash. Devastated family members paid heartbreaking tributes to the children on social media.

One wrote: ‘Life is cruel to take them away from my lovely brother. Best old father in the world, he put them first no matter how hard he hit they were his life please god give him the strength.’ 

The children’s aunt said: ‘RIP my perfect little niece and nephew. Aunt Elizabeth’s old pet Smaller and me little frilly Lilly.

‘Love you always and forever and never in this lifetime will you ever be forgotten, always loved.’

A family friend put: ‘Mortal divine RIP beautiful angels. So sorry for your loss, their poor mommy and daddy.’

A cousin wrote: ‘Can’t believe I’m even writing this but rest in peace to my two beautiful little cousins Smaller and Lilly.

‘I love you with all my heart. I love you so much this don’t even feel real. What has this world come to, hearts in bits. RIP my babies.’