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A drug-driver killed her 14-year-old daughter and another teenage passenger by crashing off a motorway at 70mph while under the influence of cannabis, a court has heard.

Leicester Crown Court was told Anastasia James smashed into a tree after taking the "unforgivable" decision to smoke cannabis either during a journey home from a child's birthday party or before she set off.

The 37-year-old's daughter, Destiny James-Keeling, and her son's girlfriend, Megan Marchant, 18, both died within minutes of the accident on the M1 near Lutterworth two years ago.

James, of Thornton Close, Braunstone, Leicester, denies two charges of causing death by careless driving when unfit through drugs.

Opening the case against James at the start of her trial, prosecutor Michael Evans QC said visibility was good when her Vauxhall Astra convertible veered into the central reservation.

The Crown alleges the car then travelled back across all three northbound lanes of the M1, plunged down a verge, became airborne and struck a tree at up to 50mph, crushing its passenger side roof.

Describing the deaths close to Shawell on January 4 2014 as unintended but avoidable, Mr Evans told a jury of six men and six women: "You will hear from an experienced collision investigator.

"He subsequently analysed the vehicle in painstaking detail and came to the certain and uncontradicted conclusion that there were no mechanical defects that could have contributed to the crash.

"His expert conclusion is that the crash was due to the driver."

After the crash at about 7pm, a police officer is alleged to have detected the "unmistakable aroma" of cannabis, which increased as he neared the wrecked car.

The defendant, who was returning home from a party in Islington in north London, gave a negative breath test in hospital.

But, the Crown alleges, a blood test conducted around six hours after the accident resulted in findings consistent with cannabis use within the previous six to eight hours.

Summing up the prosecution case, Mr Evans said: "This is a tragic case. There is no way that Miss James wanted this to happen."

But the QC went on: "We know that cannabis can and will affect a person's driving abilities.

"The defendant in this case knew she was to drive that day to London and back. She knew that in her care were three teenagers.

"Miss James knew, as she confirmed in interview, that cannabis has a dangerous effect on driving ability and that she should not - and nor should anyone else for that matter - drive after smoking it.

"She chose to take cannabis, either shortly before leaving London or during the journey. She was willing to take that risk."

Claiming the reason for James' carelessness - as confirmed by experts - was cannabis, Mr Evans concluded: "She did not want this to happen and you will have sympathy for her.

"But she had the care of children and to make the choice that she did is simply unforgivable."

The trial was adjourned until Wednesday.