A mother-of-two will spend at least a month in a prison cell after being spotted driving away from court just moments after being banned from the road.
Simara Knopka had been disqualified for two years after causing a head-on crash in May while driving the wrong way down a motorway as she looked at Google Maps.
She was then spotted driving away from Manchester Crown Court in her Vauxhall Corsa yesterday, despite being warned she faced jail if caught behind the wheel.
Today, 39-year-old hotel housekeeper Knopka, who lives 20 miles away from the court in Macclesfield, Cheshire, admitting driving while disqualified and without insurance and was remanded into custody for a month until a further court hearing.
The motorist from Brazil, who does not have a valid UK driving licence, could now be jailed for up to six months at court on December 4 for her latest offences.
It also emerged today that Knopka, who has two sons aged 17 and 19 who live with her, had driven herself from her home to court for yesterday’s appearance.
Simara Knopka, 39, is pictured leaving Manchester Crown Court after the hearing yesterday
Knopka (left) was pictured behind the wheel as she left court yesterday despite the driving ban
Harriet Lavin, prosecuting, said today: ‘As she was leaving court (yesterday), she was spotted by a photographer and he had been taking photographs of her.
‘She walked a short distance to the NCP car park and she was accompanied by a friend. At first, the friend got into the driver’s seat and the defendant in the passenger’s side.
‘But the photographer continued watching them and another couple of minutes he then saw the defendant change into the driver’s seat and drive out of the car park and she was photographed driving out of the car park.’
John Mitchell, defending, said she had made arrangements with a family friend to take her to court, and she was waiting at home for this but the lift never turned up.
Knopka said to her lawyer that she was ‘concerned about being late so she took the decision to drive to court herself’, and told him: “I want to repent.”
Mr Mitchell added: ‘When she was interviewed last night by police and I discussed the matter with her at length and I think the seriousness of what she had done hit home to her.
Knopka initially appeared to sit in the passenger seat of the car yesterday, before moving over to the driver’s seat and pulling out of a car park near Manchester Crown Court
‘I did question why she took the decision to drive to court because in the weeks leading up to the crown court case I have spoken to her and her ex-husband quite a lot about the matter.
‘And it became apparent she was struggling to deal with the ongoing crown court case and finding it very stressful and from what her ex-husband telling me had not been eating and sleeping in the weeks leading up to yesterday’s hearing.’
He also told how she split up with her husband in January, having initially moved here from Brazil in 2017 with him and her two children.
Mr Mitchell continued: ‘She’s a lady of good character and the time spent in custody since 9pm been extremely sobering for her.
‘She was clearly very distressed during the interview last night and it is apparent she did show a great deal of remorse for her actions yesterday.’
He added that she receives employment support allowance and her two sons, who are in college, are both ‘reliant upon her’.
Knopka learnt to drive in Brazil 17 years ago before moving to the UK three years ago
District Judge Bernard Begley said: ‘That distance you quite clearly drove from Manchester to your home address in Macclesfield was a significant distance.
‘Compounded by what I have learned today and also that whilst subject of an interim disqualification, you have actually driven from Macclesfield into Manchester.
‘There can be little doubt that this offence of driving whilst disqualified is so serious that only custody can be imposed and I am not persuaded as where I should suspend that sentence.’
He added: ‘Despite everything I have heard and the realisation by you whilst in the police station, last night about how serious your position is I do not believe you can be trusted so you will remain in custody until your crown court hearing on December 4.’
Yesterday, the court heard she drove the wrong way along the M60 near Worsley while checking directions on her phone.
She crashed her 19-year-old son’s Nissan Micra into an oncoming Nissan Qashqai, which flipped on to its roof. The other driver was not seriously hurt.
Knopka, of Macclesfield, had been spared jail by a judge at Manchester Crown Court yesterday
Knopka yesterday admitted dangerous driving and driving without a licence over the smash, at 1am on May 28.
It later emerged she had not passed a driving test in the UK and was being giving driving lessons by her estranged husband.
Yesterday, Neil Ronan, prosecuting, said: ‘The defendant was driving the wrong way on the M60 motorway and there was a head on collision with a vehicle which ended up on its roof.
‘The driver of the other car said he was going home from Manchester and had just got onto the motorway when he saw the lights of the defendant’s Micra coming towards him up.
‘He said she appeared to be straddling the middle of two lanes and he saw her too late to avoid her.
During the incident in May, Knopka had used Google Maps on her phone to direct her home
‘He knows he was travelling at 60mph as he had cruise control on and he said she was driving slower maybe half of that speed. When the impact occurred it clearly caused heavy damage to his car yet he escaped relatively unscathed.
‘Police attended and both of the drivers were spoken. Video footage showed the police officer ringing (Knopka’s) sons and asking them to translate what is going on.
‘There’s a conversation where her son said he’d sent a text message saying she’s not allowed to drive on her own and shouldn’t be driving on her own.
‘She was then given a lift back to the police station so that her son could pick her up.’
Knopka moved to the UK three and a half years ago and only held a provisional UK driving licence.
Knopka admitted driving a motor vehicle dangerously and driving a motor vehicle otherwise in accordance with a licence. She is pictured yesterday, leaving court
Yesterday, Thomas McKail, defending, said: ‘The Micra car was registered in her name but her son had insured it because she didn’t have a valid licence and is learning to drive in the UK.
‘The car has been written off. She’s from Brazil and obtained a driving licence there 17 years ago after she passed her test in Brazil. But she has been learning to drive in the UK for the past 12 months and given lessons by her (estranged) husband.
‘She intended to take a full test in the UK. She has, of course, the experience of driving a motor vehicle but she doesn’t have the experience of driving in the UK.’
Mr McKail said Knopka had separated from her husband in January.
Arguing for leniency, he added: ‘She is a single mother and works full time. It’s quite clear she’s a hard-working individual and lives a relatively modest lifestyle focusing on her children’s education and their upkeep.
At yesterday’s hearing, Knopka (right) was fined £600 with £210 costs and ordered to be fitted with an electronic tag as part of a 8pm-7am curfew
‘This was a serious offence and driving on the wrong way on any major road let alone a motorway – it’s an extremely dangerous act.
‘It was a mistake to enter the road at that time but nothing further than that.’
Sentencing yesterday, judge Recorder Nick Clarke QC told Knopka: ‘I do not find it necessary to send you to jail today. However, it is important you understand this was a very dangerous piece of driving.
‘You are disqualified from having a driving licence for the next two years and thereafter not be permitted to drive till you have passed an extended driving test.
‘But you must understand if you drive without insurance, without a licence and passing a test, (on) the next occasion the court will not be so lenient..’
At yesterday’s hearing, Knopka was fined £600 with £210 costs and ordered to be fitted with an electronic tag as part of a 8pm-7am curfew.