DRIVER CRASHED INTO TAXI AFTER A NIGHT OUT
Bricklayer took cocaine the day before
DRUG-DRIVER Kai Hughesmickinney crashed into a taxi the day after a night of drinking and snorting cocaine.
The 23-year-old bricklayer was stopped by police after his car hit the cab travelling in the opposite direction on City Road, Fenton.
He provided a positive roadside drugs swipe and was taken to custody where a blood sample showed he had cocaine and BZE – a breakdown of cocaine – in his system above the legal limits to drive.
Now Hughes-mickinney has been banned from the roads for 14 months and hit with a £409 court bill at North Staffordshire Justice Centre.
Prosecutor Simon Dykes said police were informed a Seat Ibiza had struck a taxi on City Road at 9.55pm on April 17.
Mr Dykes said: “The car had hit a taxi travelling in the opposite direction and slight damage was caused.
“The car was stopped by police. A roadside drug swipe suggested cocaine was present.
“He was taken to custody. He cooperated with the police.
“A sample was sent off for analysis and showed 32 micrograms of cocaine per litre of blood, which exceeded the limit of 10. The level of BZE, the breakdown of cocaine, was 698 against the limit of 50.”
Hughes-mickinney, of Ash Bank Road, Werrington, pleaded guilty to two charges of drug-driving.
Harpreet Jhawar, mitigating, said the defendant had gone out with friends the previous day.
Mr Jhawar said: “He had consumed some cocaine and had some drinks.
“He genuinely thought he was OK to drive his vehicle having had a drink and some cocaine the night before.
“It was a low speed collision. There was very slight damage caused.
“There was no damage caused to his vehicle.
“He accepts there was an illicit substance in his system.”
Mr Jhawar said Hughesmickinney is a bricklayer and needs his vehicle to go to and from work.
He added: “When he leaves this courtroom, he can’t work as a selfemployed bricklayer.”
Magistrates fined Hughesmickinney £240 and ordered him to pay £135 costs and a £34 surcharge.