Eastbourne driver disqualified after recording ‘off the chart’ cocaine level

Officers said 23-year-old Anthony Tutt, unemployed, of Kings Drive, was seen driving in his Audi A3 in Friston by officers and drove away at ‘excess speed’.

A Sussex Police spokesperson said: “Officers from the roads policing unit saw the vehicle again minutes later in Eastbourne, and again saw it drive away at high-speed. But they traced the vehicle to 23-year-old Tutt’s home address and arrested him on the driveway.

“Tutt admitted he was the driver, then claimed he had taken a ‘big fat line’ of cocaine only after exiting the vehicle.

“He later told officers he was taking a large amount of the Class A drug every day.”

Tutt was charged with drug-driving and driving without due care and attention, according to officers.

Police said Tutt appeared at Hastings Magistrates’ Court on July 25 where he admitted the charges.

The spokesperson added: “In court it was revealed that Tutt was tracked down by officers at his home address on August 29 last year by officers from the roads policing unit.

“He completed a DrugWipe test which indicated he was positive, so he was arrested and taken to custody.

“Later, he gave a sample which was positive for 183 micrograms (mcg) of cocaine per litre of blood. The legal limit is 10mcg of cocaine per litre of blood.

“Meanwhile, the chemical breakdown of cocaine, called benzoylecgonine, was tested in Tutt’s sample. The legal limit for this element is 50mcg per litre of blood. When Tutt’s sample was tested it was more than 800mcg per litre of his blood.”

Roads policing unit’s PC Michael Dunn added: “The cocaine levels in Tutt’s samples were found to be off the chart and above the limit that the machine could test for.

“He admitted driving the Audi but said he was not aware of his high-speed, and claimed he had only taken a ‘big fat line’ of cocaine after exiting the vehicle.

“But he also said that because of a relationship break-up he had been taking large amounts of the Class A drug every day for two weeks.

“Drugs such as cocaine and cannabis can remain in the body for a long time after being taken, and continue to impact on a [person’s] reactions and ability to drive.

“Drivers who have taken these drugs are putting other road users at risk.”

The court ordered Tutt to complete 200 hours of unpaid work as part of a six-month suspended prison sentence, according to police.

The spokesperson said: “He must also complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement sessions (RAR), and pay £85 costs and a £128 victim surcharge.”

Officers said the court disqualified Tutt from driving for three years and ordered him to complete an extended retest before getting his licence back.

PC Dunn added: “This case shows how drugs stay in your system for a long time. It is not acceptable to take drugs and then get behind the wheel.

“We are determined to catch offenders.”