A woman who used a hire car to ram shoppers and other vehicles in a supermarket car park was unable to appear for sentencing due to a technical error.

Lucy Turner, 32, of Organ Hall Road, Borehamwood, was due to appear at St Albans Crown Court via video link at 10am on Friday after pleading guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving in the Rickmansworth Tesco car park just days before Christmas.

Footage of the incident went viral on social media.

But owing to an administrative error at HMP Peterborough where Ms Turner is on remand, she was unable to make an appearance.

The defendant pleaded guilty to the following offences at Hatfield Remand Court on February 16:

• Attempted theft (from Tesco in Rickmansworth)

• Causing serious injury by dangerous driving

• Use of a motor vehicle on a road/public place without third party insurance

• Driving whilst disqualified

• Being the driver of a vehicle that failed to stop after a collision

• Being the driver of a vehicle that failed to stop after a collision and failing to report the collision

She was also charged in connection with two separate incidents: a theft from Tesco in Pinner on December 23 and a theft from the Co-op in Borehamwood on December 24.

A woman was taken to Watford General Hospital with a fractured vertebrae as a result of the Tesco incident.

Recorder Bate-Williams adjourned the morning hearing for one hour to give the court time to contact HMP Peterborough and the defendant’s solicitor to see if representation could be made in the afternoon – but when the court reconvened at midday Ms Turner was still unavailable.

Mr Bate-Williams said: “I can see the massive impact this is having on the witness and her family.

“I am sorry to you this has arisen - the defendant should have been available by video link. This is the first time this has happened in my experience.”

Sentencing was postponed until Friday (March 15). The hearing was held in St Albans Magistrates' Court which has two Crown courtrooms.