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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Death crash mother 'was on drugs' | Death crash mother 'was on drugs' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A mother has denied killing her two daughters and two other children in a road crash while high on drugs. | A mother has denied killing her two daughters and two other children in a road crash while high on drugs. |
| Davina Smith, 31, of Darwin Road, in Tilbury, Essex, denies four charges of causing death by careless driving, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard. | |
| It is alleged she drove a stolen car into the path of another vehicle on the wrong side of the road last January. | |
| After the crash in Tilbury she claimed 16-year-old Lee Gray, one of those who died, had been driving. | |
| Mrs Smith denies causing the deaths of her daughters Karis and Kalli Goyette, aged eight and four, and Lee Gray and Kezia Adger, both 16. | Mrs Smith denies causing the deaths of her daughters Karis and Kalli Goyette, aged eight and four, and Lee Gray and Kezia Adger, both 16. |
| The collision happened in Tilbury on 31 January and all who died were in a Ford Fiesta that collided with a Vauxhall Corsa. | |
| The jury heard Mrs Smith had had a series of late nights and traces of amphetamines and cannabis were found in her system during hospital tests when she was being treated for her injuries. | The jury heard Mrs Smith had had a series of late nights and traces of amphetamines and cannabis were found in her system during hospital tests when she was being treated for her injuries. |
| Lack of co-operation | Lack of co-operation |
| The Fiesta had been stolen in Westcliff-on-Sea the day before the accident, the court heard. | The Fiesta had been stolen in Westcliff-on-Sea the day before the accident, the court heard. |
| Martyn Levett, prosecuting, said the defendant's claims left officers facing an investigative "brick wall" and forced them to carry out a "painstaking" investigation in a bid to find out exactly what had happened. | Martyn Levett, prosecuting, said the defendant's claims left officers facing an investigative "brick wall" and forced them to carry out a "painstaking" investigation in a bid to find out exactly what had happened. |
| Mr Levett warned the jury not to allow their emotions to cloud their judgment of the evidence. | Mr Levett warned the jury not to allow their emotions to cloud their judgment of the evidence. |
| "No one likes to see a mother on trial for causing the death of her own children and therefore there is a real need to put any sympathy to one side when considering this case because sometimes sympathy can actually cause an injustice to everyone concerned," he said. | "No one likes to see a mother on trial for causing the death of her own children and therefore there is a real need to put any sympathy to one side when considering this case because sometimes sympathy can actually cause an injustice to everyone concerned," he said. |
| Police discovered the stolen Fiesta had been travelling between 40-50mph when the accident happened. | Police discovered the stolen Fiesta had been travelling between 40-50mph when the accident happened. |
| CCTV evidence also showed she had been awake and at the wheel of the car until at least 0400 GMT that day, while witnesses interviewed by police spoke of her being "very nervous and agitated" and unable to stop fidgeting during the afternoon before the accident. | CCTV evidence also showed she had been awake and at the wheel of the car until at least 0400 GMT that day, while witnesses interviewed by police spoke of her being "very nervous and agitated" and unable to stop fidgeting during the afternoon before the accident. |
| The trial was adjourned until Tuesday when the Crown will begin calling its evidence. | The trial was adjourned until Tuesday when the Crown will begin calling its evidence. |