An Army veteran, Jane was struggling with untreated, Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Jane is now in her sixties and had previously served 22 years in the Army. She contacted the Veterans Mentoring Service (VMS) for support after being charged with dangerous driving, an offence if convicted carrying a mandatory minimum 12-month driving ban.
Jane had been diagnosed with Complex PTSD (CPTSD) following a difficult tour in Afghanistan, but it remained untreated due to limited support services in her rural area of the Scottish Isles. She also suffered from back problems and regularly needed to drive to mainland hospital appointments. Losing her licence would have caused significant isolation and likely worsened her mental health.
At the time of the offence, Jane became paranoid that she was being followed and made a dangerous manoeuvre into oncoming traffic, almost causing a head-on collision. She explained that her CPTSD often caused anxiety and hypervigilance, which resulted in this frightening experience.
VMS referred Jane to Combat Stress for remote support and linked her with Legion Scotland peer support team, helping her build a support network.
A letter of support was provided to the court outlining the positive steps she had taken to address her CPTSD and the circumstances surrounding the incident. As a result, the case was dismissed on special circumstances.
With continued support, Jane was able to access treatment, retain her driving licence, attend important appointments, and avoid further isolation.