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Dartford motorist who fled from police in London Road in Northfleet was drug driving and had no insurance

A motorist who sped off from police was found to be drug driving and had no insurance.

Tommy Carter was driving his dad’s Vauxhall Corsa van on the B2175 London Road, in Northfleet, when he came to the attention of officers.

Carter tested positive for cocaine and cannabis
Carter tested positive for cocaine and cannabis

When the 23-year-old spotted the police he sped off, so they decided to pull him over.

A roadside saliva test came back positive for cocaine and cannabis.

When they inspected the vehicle they also found his nearside front offside wheel was defective.

He was arrested on suspicion of drug driving and blood tests later revealed he had 800 microgrammes of Benzoylecgonine, a cocaine byproduct, per litre of blood in his system. The legal limit is 50.

Carter, of Ridgeway, Darenth, Dartford, was charged with drug driving, driving without insurance, speeding and using a vehicle with a tyre with the cord exposed.

He admitted all the offences when he appeared at Maidstone Magistrates’ Court on February 5.

Tommy Carter was pulled over by police in London Road, Northfleet
Tommy Carter was pulled over by police in London Road, Northfleet

Richard Lamb, prosecuting, said Carter was pulled over on July 9 last year, after speeding off “erratically”.

Sara Haroon, defending, said a mistake by a family member when insuring the vehicle had led to him not being insured.

She told magistrates Carter used cannabis on a regular basis, had ADHD and anger issues, and had taken cocaine on the Friday before he was pulled over.

Tommy Carter was sentenced at Maidstone Magistrates Court
Tommy Carter was sentenced at Maidstone Magistrates Court

She also said that losing his licence would probably lead to him losing his job at an air conditioning company.

Magistrates banned Carter from driving for 18 months and placed him on a 12-month community order which will see him carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.

He was also fined £40 for the speeding offence, £80 for the defective tyre and he received no separate penalty for the no insurance offence, but his licence was endorsed.

Carter was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £114 and £85 court costs.

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