A WOMAN who ‘deliberately refused’ to provide a sample for police when asked has been given a suspended jail sentence.

The court heard that Siobhan Speak was displaying a ‘high level of impairment’ after getting behind the wheel.

The 33-year-old was subsequently charged with driving while disqualified, driving without insurance and failing to provide a specimen for analysis.

She was sentenced at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, November 22, where magistrates decided against sending her to prison immediately.

The court heard how the offences occurred on September 7 this year on Wilson Patten Street in the town centre.

Speak was driving silver Mercedes E-Class while disqualified and without third party insurance.

After being stopped, the defendant failed ‘without reasonable excuse’ to provide a sample of breath in the course of an investigation into whether she had committed an offence.

District judge John McGarva remarked that the offences were so serious that only a custodial sentence could be justified.

This was due to the defendant displaying a ‘deliberate refusal’ and ‘high level of impairment’, as well as her previous record for similar offending.

However, the custodial sentence was suspended because credit given for her guilty pleas, and because of the impact custody would have on her child.

Speak was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months.

She was also ordered to complete 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 100 hours of unpaid work, as well as being disqualified from driving for four years.

In addition, she was told she must pay costs to the Crown Prosecution Service of £120.