A Newport man who rolled his car into a field on the outskirts of Ryde – and was later found to have cocaine in his system – has been handed an 18-month driving disqualification.
24-year-old Jamie Wright, of Wellesley Way in Newport, appeared before Magistrates on Tuesday charged with drug driving.
Liz Miller, prosecuting, explained to the court that emergency services were called to Stroudwood Road, between Ryde and Havenstreet, on 5th June this year. It had been reported that 4 people were trapped inside a vehicle that had rolled off the road and into a field. At least 5 police units responded to the crash, alongside 2 ambulances, a rapid response paramedic and 2 fire appliances.
Upon the arrival of Police, witnesses described seeing a hysterical woman and 2 men running off in the direction of Ryde. Wright was already being treated by paramedics and made admissions to officers that he was the driver of the crashed vehicle – a Seat Alhambra people carrier. The vehicle was written off.
Blood analysis later revealed that Wright had a drug reading of 168 – the legal limit being 50.
Defending, Oscar Vincent said the proceeding 24 hours in the lead up to the crash had been difficult for his client, whose grandad had been taken unwell. Wright decided that evening to go fishing and consumed cocaine in a bid to wind down, Mr Vincent said.
Mr Vincent continued by saying that the next day, the day of the crash, Jamie Wright went out with friends and was asked to give them a lift home, which is when the crash occurred. Mr Vincent said his client did not consume any substances on the day of the incident itself.
Magistrates handed down an 18-month disqualification and fined Wright £200, as well as ordering him to pay £85 costs and a £34 surcharge – a total of £319.
and was later found to have cocaine in his system – has been handed an 18-month driving disqualification.
Blood analysis later revealed that Wright had a drug reading of 168 – the legal limit being 50.
the fact that there is quantifiable legal limit for cocaine at all, is the most shocking aspect of this report.
Surely it should be automatically zero, as cocaine is an illegal drug – why wasn’t he charged and jailed for obviously being a consumer of an illegal drug
I was going to say exactly what you said, but I could not be arsed.
Having cocaine in your system is not a crime but posession is. One of the oddities of our legal system…
It’s widely used in hospitals legally my guy
Yes, and controlled
What utter bs, having a couple of lines whilst out fishing to wind down.
Hope little old grandad is feeling a bit more tickety boo.
He’ll be driving again within a week.
Absolutely a waster could of killed the occupants or anyone else on the road ,everyone has their own problems but don’t go taking drugs to cope that’s a cop out excuse.
Pathetic sentence from pathetic magistrates, I hope next time he drugs and drives and kills some innocent person the magistrates feel guilty
Omg? What an absolute idiot, your right he should have paid more than just a disqualification? He could of killed some innocent people. What is going on, seems if you commit a crime you get away with it?? Why do people make excuses for what they do and not take responsibility for it, ( cowards) we all have our problems but do not behave this way. It’s getting too much now, the law needs to step up??
Hopefully his car insurance won’t pay out….That will be quite an expensive hit…..
That will hold the low life back from doing anything wrong. Nope…
Was the little boy playing music at the time of the crash!!, 2PAC ‘Picture Me Rollin’ lol.
Far too lenient.. should be 10 year ban at least..
I know that everyone is entitled to defence in court, but what Oscar Vincent came up with on behalf of his “client” makes him as big a scumbag as the defendant as far as I am concerned.
Leave Oscar alone, he is a top bloke who just happens to be very good at his job !
Don’t blame him, blame the magistrates.
I blame them all, the offenders, the magistrates and the idiots that try to keep the scum out of jail by defending them.
Who’d have thought Cocaine, a massive stimulant, could be used to ‘wind-down’ ?!
Yeah I can imagine this guy fishing totalled chilled-out on the powder, life just lazily floating by as he sits calmly in his little fishing tent.
Do me a favour !