Cocaine driver found lying on the pavement after crashing car into scaffolding

A cocaine user has been banned from driving after crashing a Mercedes in Sunderland while above the drug-drive limit.
By Gareth Crickmer
Published 29th Feb 2020, 11:18 BST
Updated 29th Feb 2020, 11:18 BST
South Tyneside Magistrates Court.South Tyneside Magistrates Court.
South Tyneside Magistrates Court.

Keiran Gettins, 24, of Helmsdale Road, Hylton Lane Estate, Sunderland, was found lying on the pavement after smashing into scaffolding in Pennywell Road on Tuesday, September 3, a court heard.

Tests showed he was over the drug-drive limit for both cocaine and controlled drug Benzoylecggonie, and also had no driving licence or insurance.

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He had been given the keys to the 56-plate motor by a mechanic to whom it belonged and who believed Gettins was fully licenced, South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court was told.

Gettins was found to have 32mcgs of cocaine in his blood and 200mcgs of Benzoylecggonie. The legal limit for cocaine is 10mcgs and 50mcgs for Benzoylecggonie.

Prosecutor Paul Anderson said: “He’s an expired provisional licence holder and has no insurance.

“It’s a mechanic who arrives in his vehicle, a Mercedes, and leaves his car there while another car there is being checked out and leaves the keys in case it needs to be driven. He fully believes that he has a licence.

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“The car is driven by the defendant, who loses control and hits some scaffolding. Someone finds him lying on the pavement. He tells the police that he has driven the Mercedes and has crashed.”

The court heard Gettins has 11 convictions from 25 offences but no relevant crimes and no court appearance since May 2017.

Greg Flaxen, defending, said Gettins had become a father in the past year and the crash may have been down to epilepsy.

He added: “He was asked to drive the vehicle to a garage where it was going to be fixed.

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“He has unfortunately crashed, but the crash happened after a seizure and he’s since been tested for epilepsy though is not yet diagnosed.”

Gettins pleaded guilty to two charges of driving above the drug-drive limit and to having no insurance and no licence.

He was given a 12-month driving ban on both drug-driving charges to run concurrently, and no separate penalty for the other charges.

He was fined £140 and must pay £85 court costs and a £32 victim surcharge.