A drug-driving mum who packed her two young sons into her car before causing a head-on crash believes her prison sentence is too long. Bridie Trotter, then 36, was over the drink driving limit and high on cocaine when she swerved onto the other side of the road and crashed into another car carrying a 36-weeks pregnant mum, dad and two children, aged eight and six.

The horrific incident occurred on Birchwood Way, Warrington, at around 9.30pm on August 30, 2023. Trotter's two sons, then aged five and four, suffered serious injuries with the older boy being placed in an induced coma.

The mum pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving, drug driving and drink driving. And she appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on July 18 this year where the mum sobbed as she was sentenced to 27 months in prison.

But the ECHO understands Trotter is due to appear before the Court of Appeal to challenge the length of her sentence next week.

The Court of Appeal is the second highest court in the UK and has the power to review decisions from lower courts to determine if they were decided incorrectly.

Liverpool Crown Court previously heard Trotter, of Warrington, had taken "full responsibility" for her actions. Her counsel said: "She's shocked at her offending. It's clearly out of character; she knows that her children would usually have been in bed as they have a very strict routine. She feels so bad that the victims will think bad of her and her actions - quite rightly.

"The defendant states 'I have changed everyone's lives forever'. She acknowledges that it is her fault. (She says) 'I'm so sorry, that's not me, I'm not like that usually, but it was me'."

The court heard Trotter had been struggling with her mental health before the incident, and had a history of domestic violence which triggered her problems with drinking and drugs.

Sentencing, judge Stuart Driver KC said: "You were in charge of your two children while intoxicated with alcohol and cocaine. You put the two children into the car and drove them onto a road with a 50mph speed limit. Coming in the opposite direction was a car driven by Ellie Wright, who was 36 weeks pregnant. Her passengers were her two children, eight and six, and her partner.

"For an unknown reason you turned across the lane, causing a high speed collision. Neither party was exceeding the speed limit but the combined speed was such that the photos (of the scene) speak of a serious crash.

"All seven people in the cars suffered some injury. Only one person suffered serious injuries and that was your five-year-old son. His multiple injuries included fractures to his collarbone, a fracture to the pelvis, a wound to his scalp, a broken nose and a mouth injury. He was in an induced coma for four days and he underwent an operation under anaesthetic, and was discharged after 10 days.

"Your driving was highly impaired by alcohol and drugs. Six hours after the accident your blood alcohol reading was 137mg, over the limit of 80mg, and the cocaine metabolite in your system was approximately four times the legal limit.

"It was also a highly dangerous manoeuvre. Although grave, it can't be said that the injuries your son suffered were themselves life threatening, but they were very serious injuries to a small boy.

"Children were present in your car, and indeed they were in the car of the other person. Ellie Wright was 36 weeks pregnant and her multiple injuries included bruising to what she called her baby bump. She was in hospital for four days and was clearly in a very worrying situation.

"She says she feared that her baby was dead. She spent the last part of her pregnancy in real pain and on crutches. Thankfully, her baby was born. Her two children suffered injuries described as severe seatbelt burns and significant bruising to their bodies."

He added: "There are, however, mitigating factors. You are of previous good character and references speak well of you. I have no doubt you were suffering from a mental disorder and you were clearly in some distress in the days before the crash, although I do note there's no diagnosis of psychotic illness. It appears to be a suggestion that you had some symptoms as a result of drug and alcohol withdrawal.

"Since the incident you have made efforts to rehabilitate yourself from your drug and alcohol addiction, and the court must also note the impact of these proceedings on your children, although they have not lived with you since the incident.

"It's also right to point out you are not a danger to the public."

Trotter, who was also banned from driving for four years, will appear before London's Court of Appeal on November 6.