COKED-UP DRIVER ‘EXTREMELY FORTUNATE’ NO-ONE WAS HURT
Three cars badly damaged in collision
GROUND-WORKER Thomas Emery crashed his car after taking cocaine.
The 30-year-old’s Vauxhall Astra ran into the back of a parked car - which then shunted into another vehicle.
Magistrates at North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard the incident in Bucknall left all three cars badly damaged.
Prosecutor Emma Thompson said: “Just after midnight, this defendant was involved in a road traffic collision with a stationary vehicle which he has gone into the back of, which has then shunted into another vehicle. Substantial damage was caused to all three cars.
“One witness was woken by a loud bang. He looked out and saw a passing car had crashed into his neighbour’s car. He went outside and saw this defendant get out of his vehicle, stumble around and then fall to the floor. The witness then stayed with him until police arrived.” The court heard Emery was taken to hospital. A blood test revealed he was over the limit for cocaine.
Emery, of Church Road, Cheadle, pleaded guilty to driving with a proportion of a controlled drug over the specified limit, plus a further charge of driving without insurance. He had no previous convictions.
Zoe Leese, mitigating, said: “At the time the offence took place, he was suffering personally. Fortunately that situation has now changed.
“He used cocaine recreationally but he has not touched it since this offence took place. He works as a ground worker. Fortunately he is able to keep his employment.”
Magistrates fined Emery £415 and disqualified him from driving for 24 months.
Chairman of the bench, Colin Porteous, said: “This is something we consider seriously. You were extremely fortunate that it was a car you hit and not a person. This incident could very easily have been much more tragic than it has actually turned out to be.
“The state you were in was clearly debilitating and your thinking must have been confused.”
Emery was also ordered to pay a further £177 in court costs and charges.