Zoe Graham, the wife of British singer Rag N Bone Man, broke down in tears at Hove Crown Court after she crashed her Range Rover into a car carrying a mother and three children. The 38-year-old had been overtaking a line of vehicles on a road with double white lines near Ringmer, East Sussex, in 2023, reaching speeds of over 50mph because she was late for the school run.
Crash details and injuries
Graham struck Samantha Keen's Ford as Keen was turning right into an animal rescue centre. The impact sent both cars across the road, with Keen's Ford ending up on a grassy verge, as shown in CCTV footage. Paramedics arriving at the scene heard Keen plead not to 'leave her children orphaned', having lost her husband in a car crash just a year earlier.
Court proceedings and sentence
Graham was originally charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving, but after entering a guilty plea the charge was reduced to careless driving. Judge Rennie handed her a 12-week jail term, suspended for 18 months, and disqualified her from driving for one year. He stated the overtaking on double white lines was inherently 'dangerous' and avoidable if she had driven properly.
Graham's statement in court
In court, Graham said: 'I was a little bit late to pick my boys up. They suffer with anxiety and I felt the need to get there. I saw the tractor and I hit her. I've never hurt anybody in my life and I would never. I'm a mum and I would never have wanted to put anyone through this.' She explained she had spotted a tractor ahead and decided to overtake, but did not realise there were three cars in front, with the Ford at the front attempting to turn right.
Judge's remarks
Judge Rennie told Graham: 'I accept this is wholly out of character. All this was avoidable if you had driven in the way you were supposed to. I'm going to put you out of your misery, you're not going to prison today.' He added that he understood her remorse and the impact of her actions, calling the case 'horrendous' and noting both families were left traumatised.
Background on Zoe Graham
Zoe Graham met Rag N Bone Man, whose real name is Rory Graham, in 2020 while working at a cafe near his home in Heathfield. The couple married the following year.
