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A Judge who said a drink driver who crashed on the A46 would have been immediately sent to prison 'if she was a man' is to be investigated.

Victoria Parry, who has two previous convictions for drink driving, hit three other vehicles before her own car careered off the road, bursting into flames.

She had to be dragged from her vehicle following the smash on May 23 last year.

But despite the severity of the crash, driving while disqualified, and her previous convictions, judge Sarah Buckingham spared Parry, 30, immediate custody.

The judge told the court: "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."

However Judge Buckingham is now being investigated over the comments made to Parry, it has been confirmed.

A spokesman for the independent Judicial Conduct Investigations Office said: "The JCIO confirms it has received a complaint in connection with remarks attributed to HHJ Buckingham today.

"Complaints to the JCIO are considered under the regulations."

During the hearing at Warwick Crown Court it was heard Parry, of Grange Road, Bearley, Stratford, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving.

Judge Sarah Buckingham deferred sentence on her for three months, setting down various conditions Parry, who was getting through two bottles of wine a day, has to meet to avoid custody.

(Image: Paul Beard)

Prosecutor Tim Sapwell said that at 6.50 in the evening on May 23 last year Parry’s Fiat Stilo hit three other vehicles on the A46 Stratford by-pass just south of the Marraway island.

She overtook on the cross-hatchings in the centre of the road, into the face of oncoming traffic, and other drivers had to take avoiding action.

“But her driving was such that she caught the rear bumper of a van, and she next hit the wing mirror of a Vauxhall Insignia, and then the side of a BMW very heavily.”

Watch: What are the drink driving limits?

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The judge commented: “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 offence was committed in May 2018 and she has not been in trouble since.

"She has clearly got an alcohol problem. She is, whether she admits it or not, an alcoholic.”

Deferring sentence, Judge Buckingham told Parry: “You richly deserve an immediate custodial sentence of 18 months.

"I want to see whether you can really address the issues rather than paying lip service.”

She laid down that Parry had to abstain from alcohol, attend meetings of a body such as Alcoholics Anonymous, and, pointing out that she should save the cost of two bottles of wine a day, pay for private counselling to tackle her alcohol problem.

And she added: “If you succeed, I will not make the custody immediate. If you don’t comply, I will conclude that you are not worthy of the chance.”

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