Essex Woman Admits Dangerous Driving Over Insulate Britain Road Rage Incident

An Essex woman has admitted dangerous driving after using her car to push Insulate Britain protestors who were blocking the road.

Sherrilyn Speid, 35, of Grays, Essex, admitted a charge of dangerous driving when she appeared at Southend Magistrates' Court on 28th March 2022.

A second charge of assault by beating was withdrawn by the prosecution.

Speid initially entered not guilty pleas to each of the charges when she appeared at Basildon Magistrates' Court on Thursday, 6th January 2022.

Dangerous driving is an offence under section 2 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. It has a maximum penalty of 2 years' custody and/or an unlimited fine on conviction on indictment; 6 months' custody and/or an unlimited fine on summary conviction.

Magistrates heard that the offence took place as Speid drove her son to school on the morning of Wednesday, 13th October 2021.

Insulate Britain protestors were blocking London Road in Grays, which was along her intended route.

Speid got out of her black Range Rover Sport to remonstrate with the protestors, who refused to move from the road.

Video footage, which went viral at the time, shows Speid telling the protestors "move out of the way now" and "my son needs to go to school and I need to go to work."

Speid then got back into the driving seat and started to inch the vehicle forward, pushing the front bumper against the protestors as she went.

Ashley Petchey, prosecuting, said: "It is not an excessive speed as the driver was using the brakes quite heavily. This is done on two occasions. The Range Rover stops very close to the female protester."

He added: "Clearly this was an incident where there was a risk, even if no injury was caused."

Magistrates ordered to preparation of a pre-sentence report.

Peter Hoche, Presiding Justice, granted Speid unconditional bail until her sentencing at Basildon Magistrates' Court on Friday, 6th May 2022.

As dangerous driving is an offence attracting a mandatory period of disqualification, the court made Speid subject to an interim disqualification until the sentence is finalised.

Taking the law into her own hands, frustrating as she may have found the situation, will undoubtedly cost Speid dearly, in terms of inconvenience if nothing else.