Court defeat for Tarrant's ex-wife

Ingrid Tarrant was fined 2,700 and ordered her to pay 1,200 costs after being convicted of various offences, including obstructing a police officer in the execution of duty, after the incident in Cobham, Surrey, on Christmas Eve, 2008.

The 55-year-old, from Cobham, appealed against her convictions, claiming she had been assaulted by the officer, but a judge at Kingston Crown Court dismissed her case.

Nicholas Price, QC, said Tarrant had "persuaded herself" her recollection was accurate.

"She has been able to persuade herself that she was in the right and the officer was in the wrong, and that self-deception enabled her to believe what she had said," he said.

The court heard Tarrant, who had been buying last-minute Christmas gifts, had parked her silver Saab convertible illegally in a bus stop, and before Constable Peter Groves could issue a parking ticket, she sped off. She failed to stop, even though the officer chased her in his marked vehicle with sirens and blue flashing lights. When she was caught, she resisted arrest.

As a teary-eyed Tarrant left the court, she said: "I am terribly disappointed."

Earlier, she told the court she had left the scene because she was "frightened" of the officer.

However, the judge said it was because she was aggrieved by what he was doing. He said: "It is our conclusion that the appellant drove off because she was annoyed with the officer and was not prepared to wait while he asked her the appropriate details."

Mr Price, who ordered Tarrant to pay a further 750 costs, said: "This appeal exemplifies how a minor motoring offence can escalate out of proportion."