A woman who picked up her son while he was being chased by police has admitted obstructing officers.

Susan Christie, 54, of Mill Road, Emneth, dropped her son off at the police station in Terrington St John on January 7, after officers said they needed to speak to him.

King’s Lynn magistrates heard she was outside in her car a few minutes later when she noticed her son running up the road.

Corinne Soanders-Silk, prosecuting, told the court a policeman was chasing her son towards Old Church Road on foot whilst shouting: “Stop, police.”

Mrs Soanders-Silk said the policeman heard a vehicle drive up at speed and went straight past him. He saw the man he was pursuing get into a Ford Fiesta and it turned around heading towards him.

The policeman raised his baton and indicated for her to stop but she drove so close the baton struck the side of her car.

Christie was later arrested that same day and in a police interview she said she thought the police were going to arrest her son, and in the heat of the moment things escalated out of control.

She said she turned the car around and noticed the policeman running and raising his baton. She said she thought he was going to hit her car.

Ruth Johnson, defending Christie, said the defendant was confused and not thinking. She was a woman of good character and had never been in trouble with the law.

“She was in an irrational state of mind.” Mrs Johnson said. “When she saw her son running she was still in her car, moving along and trying to work out what was going on.

“It was a split second decision with horrendous consequences but never a pre-planned attempt to prevent the police executing their duty.

“She has nothing but respect for the police. She said she is always courteous and polite to them and always does her best to cooperate with them.”

Christie was handed a 12 month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £20 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.

Chair of the bench, Joyce Girling, told the defendant: “This could’ve turned out so much differently if you had hit the police instead of stopping when he told you to do so.

“Every mum will protect her child and we are giving you the benefit of misjudgement.