Wirksworth driver crashed with heroin and cannabis in his system

Owen O’Leary, 20, of Derby Road, Wirksworth, lost control of his Peugeot 106 at Mugginton Lane End and went into a wall near Common Farm, according to Chesterfield magistrates’ court.

Prosecuting solicitor Becky Allsop told a sentencing hearing on November 23: “A witness saw the vehicle come round a corner, go on to grass verge and hit a wall front-on.

“A police officer was on the scene very quickly and saw the Peugeot at the entrance to Common Farm and there was damage to the wall and O’Leary was being treated by an ambulance team.”

The court heard how O’Leary was taken to hospital where blood tests and a later forensic report revealed evidence of cocaine, morphine, heroin and cannabis in the defendant’s system.

However, Mrs Allsop conceded O’Leary had been given some morphine as part of his hospital treatment.

O’Leary told police he had finished his night shift and taken Mcat with a can of lager and had slept for an hour before he drove, collected a friend and was heading to Derby.

He claimed a dog or something had come into the road which caused him to swerve before he hit the wall at Mugginton Lane End along Ribble Street.

O’Leary, who has a previous conviction for supplying cannabis, pleaded guilty to driving while unfit through drugs after the incident in July.

The probation service explained at the time of the crash O’Leary was using Mcat, heroin and cannabis on a social basis and has only continued to use cannabis.

O’Leary said he suffered shattered knee caps and has been left with pins in a leg and his passenger suffered from a shattered arm and whiplash.

He added: “I had Mcat and a beer that day but everything else I had had during that week.”

District Judge Andrew Davison sentenced O’Leary to a 12 month community order with rehabilitation, a thinking skills programme and 80 hours of unpaid work. He was also disqualified from driving for 18 months and must pay £295 in costs and charges.