Swerving across lanes, he hit Mercedes after nine-mile danger drive on the A55
ADRIVER who drove erratically for more than nine miles on the A55 and then in a town centre was spared jail.
Terry Griffiths was close to tears when he was handed a 10-month prison term, suspended for 18 months.
Judge Huw Rees said he had taken pain-killing drugs that rendered him unfit to drive.
“But drive you did and were seen driving erratically, swaying from lane to lane,” he said.
Griffiths had admitted charges of dangerous driving and driving a vehicle while unfit through drugs and was at
Caernarfon Crown Court for sentencing.
The 48-year-old, of Ucheldre, Llangefni, was seen driving along the A55 from Llangefni towards Holyhead on June 17 last year.
Video footage from a vehicle dashcam shown in court showed Griffith’s white Citroen van approaching a junction and veering back towards the dual carriageway, raising a cloud of dust.
At the top of the slip road he narrowly avoided a car already on the roundabout and then drove straight across the grass, hitting a metal sign.
He nearly collided with another vehicle which had captured Griffith’s driving on a dashcam.
Richard Edwards, prosecuting, said motorist Hadyn Jones followed Griffith’s van along the A55 to Holyhead, where there were other near-misses.
The barrister said Griffiths collided with a Mercedes vehicle on Holborn Road, but the nature of the damage had not been assessed.
When arrested, Griffiths gave negative roadside alcohol and drug tests but after being taken to hospital a blood sample was taken and this showed a high level of the pain-relief drug codeine.
“Interviewed by police, the defendant said he had little recollection of the incident and was only aware of it when he woke up in hospital,” Mr Edwards said.
The court was told Griffiths had previous motoring convictions, including one of being in charge of a vehicle while unfit through drugs in 2016.
Matthew Curtis, defending, said Griffiths appreciated a custodial sentence was inevitable but argued this need not be immediate.
He said last summer Griffiths was in a bad place suffering mental health issues following the death of his mother and the breakdown of a relationship while caring for his elderly father.
In addition to the suspended prison term, Griffiths was banned from driving for two years and ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work.
He must also undergo a
Drug Treatment Order and days of rehabilitation. six month attend 25