The drug-damaged driver who ploughed Mercedes into a tractor was declared following a dramatic crash in Chester city centre.
Matthew Campsty, 52, of Great Bourton, previously pleaded guilty to drug driving and dangerous driving.
The court heard that Cumpsty was driving a Silver Mercedes E-Class along Green Lane at 6:30am on April 1st.
Ignoring the red light, he ran straight down the path of the JCB tractor out of Chester. The impact force caused the tractor to uncourse and crash into a nearby house.
Emergency services were called to the scene and found that two properties had serious structural damage. Miraculously, no one was injured in the incident.
Cumpsty was arrested at the scene after failing a roadside drug test. Subsequent toxicology reports confirmed that he exceeded the legal limits of benzoylcugonine, a metabolite of cocaine.
CCTV footage taken from the scene clearly showed Cumpsty driving through a red light.
He appeared at Chester Crown Court on July 15th and received a 12-month community order, including 200 hours of unpaid work.
Additionally, he was ordered to pay £85 and £114 victims’ additional fees at court costs.
Following the verdict, police officer Richard Phillips said:
“As a result of a bad decision to get behind the wheel while being affected, several families have been made homeless and commuters traveling to Chester have left serious confusion for weeks while repairs are underway.
“In addition, Cumpsty is facing a long driving ban, and I hope that this ban will give him time to reflect on what he does that day.”
