Ban for Class A drug driver who crashed into parked cars

41-year-old had more than three times legal limit in system

A Crosby man has been banned from the road after crashing his car whilst drug driving.

Andrew Harding, of Ballavitchel Road, had more than three times the legal limit of cocaine in his system when he was arrested by police on 8 March.

The 41-year-old had called them after hitting two parked vehicles in his Audi Q3, on St Ninian’s Road in Douglas, just after 10pm.  

He was also in possession of Class C medication which he didn’t have a prescription for.

In interview he told officers he’d arrived back on the Island that day after a trip to Amsterdam but couldn’t account for the tablets in his pocket.

Subsequent tests showed Harding was also almost five times over the legal limit for the main metabolite of the Class A drug.

At Douglas Courthouse Harding pleaded guilty to three offences.

His advocate told the court his client had been experiencing ‘difficulties’ in life and things had ‘got out of hand’.

Describing him as a ‘family man’ he added: “My client entirely regrets the incident. He’s a gentleman you’re not going to see again before you.”

Fining Harding £1,700, and ordering him to pay £125 in prosecution costs, Deputy High Bailiff Rachael Braidwood told him: “You must have taken a quantity of cocaine before getting behind the wheel.”

Harding was also disqualified for two years and until he’s taken and passed an extended driving test.