‘I have no words for her’: Woman, 43, jailed for Northamptonshire crash that caused victims ‘utter devastation’

A woman has been jailed after a Northamptonshire crash that caused “utter devastation” for the victims.

Tashalee Woodhall-Murray (also known as Iesha Ibeneba Murray), previously of Ermine Side, Enfield, was driving a black Mercedes on the A361 Ashby Road towards Daventry on July 19, 2020.

The 43-year-old collided with a Hyundai travelling in the opposite direction.

The two women in the Hyundai – a woman in her 60s, and her mum - a woman in her 80s were taken to University Hospital Coventry Hospital.

The daughter – a woman called Sarah, now 64, suffered severe life-changing injuries, resulting in diminished capacity and brain function. The mother – now 88, had to have her lower right leg amputated and suffered a number of fractures.

At the scene, Woodhall-Murray gave someone else’s details to police officers. She was also found to be driving without a valid driving licence.

Forensic Collision Investigators also established that the children in Murray’s car had not been wearing buckled seatbelts.

Woodhall-Murray was charged with two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and one count of perverting the course of justice.

At a Northampton Crown Court hearing, Sarah’s sister read a victim impact statement, including: “If Sarah suggests an early morning walk, just check what she has in mind because she will be thinking six thirty, while you are carefully considering eight.

“Sarah is the very definition of multi-tasking. Before her working day begins, she will have baked a cake or pudding for her friend George, made soup, and walked her wire-haired Jack Russell…

“Now she is agitated, confused, sad most of the time.

“She doesn’t really know or understand what has happened to her. Our conversations are short and difficult, just occasionally beautiful as I catch a glimpse of her.

“There are no longer hourlong sisterly chats putting the world to rights.

“Impact – it’s not business jargon, nor is it that split second when two cars collide - it is how the whole landscape of people’s lives is changed forever as a result of that moment.”

Following the sentencing hearing, lead investigator – Detective Constable Ady Tredwell, said: “This is one of those cases that will stay with me a very long time and my heart goes out to the family of these two wonderful women.

“I know that no sentence in this world will ever make up for what has happened and the sister of the woman in her 60s read out an extremely emotive statement about her mother and sister which revealed just how deeply this has affected her and the family.

“I have no words for Tashalee Woodhall-Murray except to say that I truly hope she realises the utter devastation, desolation and pain she has caused. She will have to live with her actions forever.

“Finally, I want to thank the wider family of these two women. They have conducted themselves with class and dignity through this exceptionally distressing court process and my thoughts remain with them as they continue to come to terms with this utterly terrible incident.”

After pleading guilty to all three offences, Woodhall-Murray was sentenced at the same court on Friday (March 3) to two years in prison.