A WOMAN was told “to be under no illusions” a prison sentence awaits after she admitted responsibility for the deaths of two passengers in her car.

Mary Michelle Stokes pleaded guilty at Durham Crown Court to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving following a crash which claimed the lives of Kelsey Stokes, three, and 17-year-old Shauna Stokes.

The accident took place on the A1086 Coast Road, between Blackhall Colliery and Horden, on Wednesday September 2, last year.

They were travelling in a Peugeot 206 which collided with a van, at about 2.30pm.

Stokes, 23, from Sunderland, also faces four charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, relating to other casualties.

She admitted two of those and gave an indication of further guilty pleas once medical updates are received.

Adjourning for preparation of probation pre-sentence and psychological reports, Judge James Adkin told her: “You must be under no illusion, this is a custodial case.

“You are going to prison, it’s just a question of how long that sentence will be, to be determined on June 14.”

An interim driving disqualification was put in place by Judge Adkin, who granted Stokes bail pending sentence.

Inquests have been opened by County Durham Coroner’s Office, with the hearings delayed pending the outcome of the criminal case.