35-year-old Thomas Hayden faces a minimum 3-year driving ban after being caught drug driving for the second time in under 3 years – with more than 16x the limit of Benzoylecgonine – a cocaine metabolite – in his system.
Hayden, of Cook Avenue in Newport, appeared before the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with 2 drug driving offences – charges he pleaded guilty to at the first opportunity, adding to his 16 previous convictions for 49 offences.
The court heard that Hayden was caught by Police behind the wheel of his Ford Transit on 3rd June this year, following a tip-off. Officers had located the vehicle of interest and followed it into a car park in Carisbrooke.
A roadside drugs wipe was conducted which indicated the presence of cannabis and cocaine. Laboratory tests later revealed a Benzoylecgonine (BZE) reading of 800 ug/L, the legal limit being 50. Cocaine was also detected at 32 ug/L and although THC (cannabis) was detected, it was under the limit and therefore no charges were brought forward in respect of that drug.
Lauren McConnell, prosecuting, told the bench that Hayden was last in court for drug driving in January 2022, for which he received a 12-month ban. Prior to that, in 2009 he was convicted of failing to provide.
Defending, Michael McGoldrick explained to the court that Hayden had sought help from Inclusion, accepting that he has an issue with the use of cocaine.
After some deliberation, Magistrates decided to request a pre-sentence report ahead of sentencing on 17th January 2025.
Thomas Hayden has been handed an interim driving ban in the meantime.
Unless we lock these selfish uneducated B’stards up
these morons will keep re-offending.
Lock him up and throw away the key.
Keep our roads safe.
Piece of shit should be banned for life at get 5 years inside