INTERIM DRIVING BAN FOR BRADING MAN FOUND PASSED …
A Brading man who claimed he didn’t know how cocaine got into his system, believing his drink was spiked, has been handed an interim driving ban after admitting crashing his Transit van.
George Pipes, 32, of Quay Lane in Brading, pleaded guilty to drug driving when he appeared at the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court on Friday (8th September).
The court heard how on 14th May this year, a member of the public witnessed a road traffic collision on Ashey Road involving a Ford Transit Tipper lorry – understood to be Pipes’ works vehicle.
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Police were called to the scene where a search of the van was conducted, and documents inside the vehicle showed that Pipes was the driver.
Officers from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary attended his home address and found him passed out on a patio, surrounded by his neighbours.
Keys to the motor were found in the 32-year-old father-of-4’s pocket. He was arrested and taken to Newport Police Station where a blood test result returned a Benzoylecgonine reading of 563 – some 11 times above the limit of the prescribed limit of 50.
The 32-year-old was before the courts back in 2011 where he was convicted of driving without due care and attention.
Defending, Michael McGoldrick said that his client had admitted in a Police interview that it was he who crashed the vehicle and that he had managed to walk home. He also added that Pipes had no idea how the cocaine got into his system and that he believed a drink he had must’ve been spiked.
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The case was adjourned until 6th October to allow a pre-sentence report be compiled. Pipes was handed an interim disqualification.
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