A Bermudian woman narrowly missed jail time in Britain after she dragged a police officer down a main road with her car during a traffic stop.

Candace DeSilva was given a 28-month prison sentence that was suspended for two years after she pleaded guilty in Liverpool Crown Court to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and an assault on an emergency worker, media reports said.

According to the Liverpool Echo, Judge Garrett Byrne described the 37-year-old’s actions as “absolutely appalling”, but allowed her to serve her sentence in the community for the sake of her children.

He said: “Your reckless actions did not just cause serious and permanent injuries to a public servant, someone acting on behalf all of us to protect us, keeping the roads safe from people such as yourself, who are prepared to drink and drive, but you could have killed him.

“This is a very, very serious matter indeed.”

Mr Justice Byrne added: “There is one matter and one matter alone that weighs in favour of suspension and that is this — that you have four children, two of whom have special needs.

“Although you did not give them sufficient thought that day, I have to.

“For that reason and that reason alone, I will suspend the sentence.”

It is understood that DeSilva moved from Bermuda to Liverpool in 2020 and now lives in Anfield.

The court heard that Pc Simon Ward, a traffic officer, pulled over DeSilva at about 4.15pm on September 14, 2024, after seeing her on her phone and attempting to make an illegal U-turn.

DeSilva took part in a breath test and it was discovered she had 90 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath — more than 2½ times the legal limit of 35 micrograms.

Nardeen Nemat, for the Crown, said Pc Ward requested a female officer to visit the scene and search DeSilva, but was told no one could attend.

DeSilva then said: “See, there is nobody else coming. You're not f****** searching me. I'm going. You can't stop me.”

The Echo reported that she started the engine and began driving the vehicle forward.

Pc Ward tried to remove the keys from the ignition and repeatedly told her to stop the car, fearing for the safety of a woman pushing a pram near by on the pavement.

It was reported that the officer grabbed hold of the steering wheel in an attempt to avoid being dragged underneath the vehicle, with his feet being lifted off the ground as a result.

The court heard that during this time, DeSilva repeatedly struck the policeman, which led to lacerations on his fingers and palm.

Pc Ward used Pava spray, a deterrent similar to pepper spray, on DeSilva and her passenger after DeSilva told her to put the car into sports mode.

DeSilva was eventually arrested with the help of other officers for assault on an emergency worker.

During her arrest, she said: “I just want to go home to my children. I haven't touched you. I've done nothing. Drag me out, please.”

She later told the passenger: “Take care of my children.”

DeSilva refused to follow instructions during her arrest and later threw herself to the ground, which caused her handcuffs to scrape a second officer’s forearm.

The court heard that Pc Ward was a veteran of the war in Afghanistan who said he joined the police force after his service to help his community.

The officer suffered potentially permanent leg injuries from the incident that resulted in him using a crutch to walk. He also needed to wear a knee brace.

Pc Ward now suffers from symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

DeSilva was previously fined in Magistrates’ Court for drink-driving and using a mobile phone while driving in relation to the same incident.

Charles Lander, for the defence, said his client was the only person employed in her family, and argued that a custodial sentence would leave them without a home.

He added that Ms DeSilva also suffered trauma from relationship difficulties, which included learning that her partner fathered another child during an affair and caring for that child until the mother arrived from Bermuda.

Mr Lander said: “The defendant is someone who has suffered with PTSD, someone who has recognised mental health issues and someone who really would suffer in custody.”

The defence insisted that DeSilva had since participated in Alcoholics Anonymous and therapy.

He said: “She is not a regular drinker. She drank too much on that day and got into her car and behaved in the way that she did. She has not drunk any alcohol since that day.”

In addition to her suspended sentence, Mr Justice Byrne ordered DeSilva to perform 140 hours of community service and no more than 15 days of rehabilitation.

She was also banned from the roads for three years.

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