POLICE at Redditch were alerted at 4.30am in September last year by a member of the public stating that a body was lying in the road, Worcester Crown Court was told.

Officers investigated and found that it was Callum Lungrin, who claimed he had been run down by his girlfriend, Hannah Barber, after an argument.

Prosecutor Amrisha Parathalingam said she had mounted the pavement and then driven off before returning to the scene.

She was breathalysed but was below the legal limit for driving, said defence barrister Charles Hamer.

She later claimed that her boyfriend of several months had been "faking."

They were now back together and he had written a letter of support to the court.

Barber, aged 21, of Bromsgrove Road in Redditch, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and was given a seven-month jail sentence suspended for two years.

She was also given an 18-month community order with a 30-day rehabilitation requirement.

Recorder William Edis QC also disqualified her for 18 months with an extended re-test and ordered her to carry out 120 hours unpaid work and pay £1,200 costs.

Mr Hamer said Barber came from a good home and was supported by her parents.

Her employers spoke well of her and she now realised her driving had been dangerous.

She had been upset in February when her best friend had taken her own life by hanging.

She had been prescribed anti-depressants but no longer took them.

She suffered from flashes of temper and this had led to an incident in a nightclub, when she was prosecuted for disorderly conduct.

Recorder William Edis QC said he understood Barber was mentally fragile but she had used her car as a weapon.

She had knocked down another person and left the scene.

But he had read the references, which showed she came from a good family.

He accepted she had momentarily lost control.