A female serial drunk driver was spared jail by a fellow woman judge who admitted a man would have been sent to prison for the exact same crimes, according to reports.
Victoria Parry, 30, appeared before a U.K. court after she caused a fiery crash in which she smashed multiple parked vehicles after drinking at least a bottle of wine.
Newswars.com reports: Parry “ploughed into three vehicles before crashing into a ditch where her car burst into flames,” the Daily Mail reports. “She was dragged from the burning wreck by other drivers after she crashed on the A46 near Stratford-upon-Avon on May 23 last year shortly before 7pm.”
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Parry reportedly had two prior drunk driving convictions at the time of the accident, with one resulting in a three-year license suspension.
However, Judge Sarah Buckingham opted to defer a prison sentence for Parry, while asserting that a male would not be shown the same leniency.
“If Miss Parry was a man, there is no question it would have been straight down the stairs, because this is a shocking case of dangerous driving against a background of two previous convictions for excess alcohol, but this offense was committed in May, 2018, and she has not been in trouble since,” Buckingham said. “She has clearly got an alcohol problem. She is, whether she admits it or not, an alcoholic.”
“If you succeed, I will not make the custody immediate,” Buckingham told Parry. “If you don’t comply, I will conclude that you are not worthy of the chance.”
An investigation has been launched into Judge Buckingham’s conduct, according to a breaking update provided to the Daily Mail.
“The Judicial Conduct Investigations Office confirms it has received a complaint in connection with remarks attributed to HHJ Buckingham today,” a spokesman said. “Complaints to the JCIO are considered under the regulations.”
