Mother of Archie Battersbee jailed for driving motorist off road

The mother of Archie Battersbee, the 12-year-old who died after a High Court battle, has been jailed for driving a motorist into a tree.

Hollie Dance, 50, tailed the victim for miles before running him off the road in October 2022.

Her son, Thomas Summers, 26, then "rammed into [the man] and sent him into a bush", Basildon Crown Court heard on Friday.

Dance and Summers were jailed for four years and five years respectively.

The incident happened just two months after Archie's life support was withdrawn.

Archie had been found unconscious with a ligature around his head after a "prank or experiment" gone wrong, an inquest later ruled.

The case sparked a national debate, with Dance arguing against switching her son's life support off.

Bibi Ihuomah, for Dance, said her life had been "profoundly damaged" by her son's death.

"The night before the offences she had been assessed regarding her mental health status," he added.

Emily Lauchlan, for Summers, said it was an "impromptu pursuit without forward thinking or planning".

The pair had followed their victim from Southend to Basildon in Essex, the court heard.

Prosecutor Richard Scott said the pair believed the victim had been involved in a bottling incident in which "another member of their family had been hurt".

He said the victim suffered injuries including a fractured and dislocated shoulder, and a fracture to his foot.

Both defendants were found guilty after an earlier trial of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Dance pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, and was also found guilty of possessing a prohibited weapon - a gas canister.

Summers pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving, and was found guilty of affray.

Mr Scott said Dance had previous convictions, including for actual bodily harm in 1996 and drink-driving in 2017.

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The judge, recorder Peter Clark, told the defendants the loss of Archie was "desperately sad", but the pair's behaviour had been "completely unlawful".

He acknowledged that Dance's daughter had indeed been hurt in the bottling incident, but the pair had sought "revenge against a person wrongly identified as the perpetrator".

Dance was also banned her from driving for 43 months. while Summers was given a four-year driving ban.

Dance blew a kiss to the public gallery as she was led to the cells on Friday, while Summers made a peace sign when he was led down separately afterwards.

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