A 25-year-old Cowes man who was caught driving nearly 5 times over the prescribed limit for ketamine has been slapped with a 20-month driving ban, a 12-month community order and 100 hours of unpaid work.
Thomas Walker, of Newport Road, previously pleaded guilty to driving his Peugeot 208 on Mill Hill Road, Cowes, with 96 micrograms of ketamine in his blood.
Appearing before the Isle of Wight Magistrates court for senecting on Friday, Liz Miller for the Crown Prosecution Service told the Magistrates the facts of the case.
In the early hours of 22nd February, at around 01:15, 2 officers were travelling along Mill Hill Road when they noticed an oddly parked vehicle which was half in a space. The officers also noted damage to the vehicle’s bumper, something that, along with the poor parking, sparked their attention.
Upon pulling up beside the vehicle, Walker got out, and officers observed the young man had glazed eyes and slurred speech.
Ms Miller said that when out of the car, the defendant admitted to the officers that he had taken ketamine and had some more in his car.
After being arrested the 25-year-old was taken into custody for a blood test, the results of which concluded Walker had 96 micrograms of ketamine in his blood, nearly 5 times the legal limit of 20.
Defending, Eva Ford said her client, who has a drug misuse issue, has no previous convictions and that he knows what he did is ‘extremely foolish’.
She said that the offence has seen Walker learn a very serious lesson, as his newly established criminal record has seen the withdrawal of his offer to join the Royal Navy.
When sentencing Walker, the lead Magistrate said:
“You knowingly took a risk by driving that day; it was extremely foolish.
“I think the sad thing for me is that you have lost your chance to join the Navy because I was in the Navy.”
Thomas Walker was sentenced to a 20 month driving disquaification, a 12 month community order and was ordered to complete 30 rehabilitation days, 100 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £199.
The Royal Navy are better off without such
irresponsible persons.
Twat
The lead Magistrate thought it sad that this scrote lost the chance to serve in the RN?
Absolutely not! The RN has dodged a bullet by not recruiting this idiot.
Drug driving demonstrates a lack of respect for law and order, poor judgement and a lack of care or concern for those around you.
I’ve had the privilege of serving in uniform and the last person I’d have wanted to go to war with is someone like this.
I am not excusing his behaviour, but then ready availability of illegal drugs on the Island is a major cause of so many crimes. The geography of the Isle of Wight is such that it should be easy to mount a Police operation to close in on the major suppliers and get them in prison for a long time.
The public have a big role as informants – do it before more victims are harmed. Drugs are a scourge on society, ruining lives.
Whilst I agree predominantly with what you have said – nobody makes an individual take drugs, alcohol, smoke or commit an offence. An individual can just as easily say NO as the old campaign said. If more did this then in an ideal world there would be a lot less problems- but unfortunately we don’t live in an ideal world. I also served and you do not want this type of individual in a combat zone next you…
At some point we all have to take some personal responsibility.
Kitchen knives are readily available on the Island, but the vast majority of us choose not to plunge them into others.
We all have a choice whether or not to use drugs.
We all have a choice whether or not to drink and drive.
We all have a choice whether or not to kill others with readily available kitchen knives.
Thank you for taking a rather more balanced approach. The guy messed up fairly badly. However, he admitted what he had done immediately, pleaded guilty at the first hearing so did not waste the courts time and will have to live with wrecking his career for the rest of his life. But your point about the availability of drugs being a contributory factor is a good one and well made. I wonder how many people who are ready to condemn drug use know about suppliers in their own areas but look the other way. Drugs are undoubtedly the scourge of our society and lead to so many problems yet people will take no active role in trying to curb their circulation.
Police don’t seem interested. If you report crimes they talk to you like you’re the one causing problems
He may have needed to have an urgent pee. He’s likely to have a bladder like a peeled grape if he’s a regular Ket user. It’s a nasty drug