A man who crashed into a wall in Brading was under the influence of drugs, the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court has heard.
Joshua Freeley, 26, of Avenue Road, Sandown pleaded guilty to 1 count of drug driving when he appeared before Magistrates on Tuesday.
After crashing his Peugeot 106 into a wall between Bully’s Hill and High Street on the 19th March, Freeley was asked to complete a drug wipe and was subsequently arrested and taken to Newport Police Station.
At the time of the incident, the 26-year-old, who works as a landscape builder, was on a suspended sentence after he was found in possession of a bladed article back in November of last year.
In defence, Oscar Vincent said his client had changed his lifestyle completely and stopped going out as well as curbing both his alcohol and drug consumption. He also said that the loss of his licence would affect his 80-year-old nan whom he cares for daily.
The court also heard that another vehicle was travelling on the wrong side of the road at around 40mph, which led to Freeley slamming on his brakes causing the car to slide into a wall.
Magistrates disqualified Freeley from driving for 12 months but did not activate his suspended sentence – instead increasing it from 12 to 15-months. He was ordered to pay £481 in costs.
Editor’s footnote: It was incorrectly reported that Mr Freeley was the wrong side of the road. We are happy to state that it was another vehicle on the wrong side of the road, travelling at 40mph.
Another hard luck story that influences the thick magistrates
Our roads are riddled with drug drivers, the law is too weak to do anything about it..
More like the magistrates are too weak. They should have activated his suspended sentence but, as usual, didn’t. He will now be out driving while banned.
Sounds like he’s having a tough time of it.
so!
So, only 3 or 4 months ago he was given a 4 month sentence (suspended, for some reason) for ‘possessing a bladed article in a public place and assault by beating’ and here he is again, this time driving and having an accident whilst under the influence of drugs. How many chances do these people get? And I’d put money on the fact that within a couple of months he’ll be driving around again although he’s been disqualified.
What does it actually take to get these people off the streets?
Better magistrates than we have on the island.
NO, magistrates can only send low life to jail, if they are worse than other low life, and as our prisons are filled with imported lowest of the low low life, then it takes some very vile crimes to be sent down now.
See the problem here
He should have been jailed for breaking his suspended sentence,& also banned from driving for life
So there’s a drug drive limit?
Well of course he was, they all are over the limit for either drink or drugs. These simpletons think it’s ok to get in a car and drive. The law needs to change, much tougher sentences need to be handed out by Magistrates and Judges. Unfortunately there is no deterrent at the moment, this is why there are so many offenders. Get tough on these brainless individuals who commit this crime.
There’s one answer to “soft” magistrates, become one yourself if you feel strong enough about it.