Mother-of-three, 25, and drug dealer are jailed after leading police on terrifying 86mph rush-hour chase with her five-year-old child in their car
- Natasha Graham and Stephen Irwin led police on a chase through Carlisle
- Irwin, 32, reached speeds of 86mph and drove on the wrong side of the road
- The pair, with Steven Kidd, were later found to be part of a drugs operation
- The trio pleaded guilty and were handed lengthy jail sentences
A drug dealer and a young mother-of-three who were involved in a terrifying high speed chase with the police with her five-year-old child in their car have been jailed.
Stephen Irwin, 32, reached speeds of 86mph on residential roads and veered into the face of oncoming traffic in Cumbria.
Natasha Graham, 25, and her child were passengers in the Saab Irwin was driving at the time of the pursuit.
A cyclist was forced to jump on to a grass verge to avoid being hit and officers following Irwin had to abandon the pursuit as they were concerned for public safety, Carlisle Crown Court heard.
Natasha Graham (left), Stephen Irwin (centre) and Steven Kidd (right) have been jailed for selling Class A drugs. Irwin led police on a high speed chase with a child in the car
Police videoed Irwin as he turned right into oncoming traffic at the M6 Junction 44 roundabout to drive north along the A7 towards Longtown, Cumbria.
The court heard Irwin exceeded 70mph as he swerved between traffic and forced the cyclist to dive out of the way.
The car was later found abandoned in a field having crashed through a fence.
In the days after the chase, Irwin booked into a Carlisle hotel with Graham and together they operated a lucrative drug dealing operation, the court heard.
A third person, Steven Kidd, was also jailed for supplying cocaine.
Prosecutor Gerard Rogerson outlined how Irwin reached up to 86mph as he fled from police during rush-hour.
Judge Peter Davies at Carlisle Crown Court was shown a series of video clips of Irwin’s driving as he fled from police at about 5pm on February 1.
The judge said: ‘God only knows how a catastrophe was averted.
‘It was an appalling piece of driving from someone with two previous convictions for dangerous driving.’
Mr Rogerson said staff at the County Hotel in Carlisle became suspicious of their drug activity after the pair booked two rooms which then began receiving a constant stream of visitors over the following days.
Graham and Irwin aroused staff’s suspicion at the County Hotel in Carlisle after they received a stream of visitors. Police found a rock of cocaine in one of their hotel rooms worth nearly £5,000
In one of the rooms, police found a 46.6g rock of cocaine which had a potential street value just below £5,000.
Police officers also seized £1,313 in cash from Irwin and £230 from Graham.
Irwin admitted dangerous driving on February 1, as well as possessing cocaine with intent to supply.
Graham admitted two counts of possessing cocaine with intent to supply.
Police also found digital scales and a number of snap bags used by dealers for storing drugs at their home.
Kidd was arrested on December 29 when police saw Graham dropping him off in Botchergate, Carlisle.
When he was searched, police found he was carrying nine snap bags of cocaine, worth between £265 and £360.
He pleaded guilty to supplying cocaine and possessing the class A drug with intent to supply.
He committed both offences in late December 2017.
Irwin was jailed for seven and a half years and disqualified him from driving for 69 months, stipulating that he must take an extended retest before driving unaccompanied.
Graham was jailed for three years and nine months and Kidd for three and a half years.