Mum-of-two claimed Audi was stolen after wrecking OAPs’ bungalow in crash

Chantelle Burrows, aged 33, smashed through a concrete fence at the property’s rear before hitting the bungalow, causing ‘extensive damage’, Chesterfield Magistrates Court heard.

The OAP couple living in the Hilcote property spent the next five months living in hotels and rented properties while it was rebuilt after the crash on September 18 last year, at about 1.30am.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, their son described how his father died of Covid-19 two days after moving back into his ‘beloved home’.

However, he added, although his father’s death was recorded as Covid, the family ‘strongly believe’ the ‘stress and anguish’ caused by his upheaval ‘contributed to his passing’.

He said: “It caused him to lose interest in his hobbies, he would frequently break down – the car hitting his home broke him mentally and physically.

“As it turned out he was able to spend just his last two days back in his home, before he was taken into hospital, never to return again.”

Alexis Mercer, prosecuting, said that after crashing into the Oaktree Road home, Burrows left her Audi S3 at the property and fled the scene.

She said: “Later that morning, at 8.50am, a call is made to Derbyshire Police from Burrows reporting her vehicle had been stolen overnight and had disappeared from her driveway.

“She claimed whoever was responsible for the theft got through an unlocked door, taking the car keys and the vehicle.”

However Ms Mercer described how a later police analysis of the airbags in Burrows’ car – deployed during the crash – linked her with the incident.

Burrows, of Chapel Close, Blackwell, admitted driving without due care and attention, wasting police time and failing to report an accident.

The court heard Burrows. who had no previous convictions, had given up her job as an insurance compliance worker after the incident, to ‘preserve her company’s integrity’.

Lucy Hooper, mitigating, said the single mum had been affected by ‘traumatic’ events in early life, leading up to the incident.

Ms Hooper said: “She had an extremely traumatic childhood, which contributed to this – she clearly panicked and her actions after that snowballed out of control. She is very remorseful for her actions that day.

Speaking about the victims in the case, Ms Hooper said: “The gentleman was diagnosed with Covid-19 and that is what was recorded as the cause of his death.

“It’s understandable the family are affected by the incident but the incident, in my submission, has not played a part in his passing.”

Burrows was given a 12-month community order with 200 hours unpaid work and 10 rehabilitation activity days.

Her driving licence, already marked with three penalty points, was endorsed with another eight.

Magistrates told her: “It was a daft thing to do. You’ve caused a lot of heartbreak for a lot of people.

“Eight points on your licence means you now have 11, which puts you on very thin ice.

“We took this decision because of your personal circumstances.”

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