Tattershall an who wrote car off and broke back in collision near Woodhall Spa ‘extremely shocked’ to discover he was over the drug drive limit

A man who wrote his car off and broke his back giving friends a lift home was over the legal drug drive limit.

Jacob Blanchard had cannabis in his system when his black Audi was involved in a collision at Stixwould, near Woodhall Spa, on September 1 last year.

The 23-year-old was hit with a driving ban and fine when he appeared at Boston Magistrates’ Court on Monday (February 3).

“It was 10.14pm when police received report of a single vehicle collision,” prosecutor Tosin Abioye said.

“There were three injured people in the vehicle and the defendant identified himself as the driver.”

Blanchard, of East Drive, Tattershall, gave a reading of 4.4 micrograms of cannabis per litre of blood. The legal limit is 2mcg.

“He was extremely shocked when he was told the swipe came back positive for cannabis,” Phillipa Chatterton said in mitigation.

“He was not a regular smoker of cannabis and had not smoked cannabis recently.

“He had been at home. The two passengers were friends and knew he doesn’t drink.

“They were intoxicated and asked him for a lift home and he said yes.

“He doesn’t know the roads and lost control of the vehicle on a sharp bend.”

The court heard how Blanchard broke his back in the collision, one passenger suffered whiplash and the other a cut to their head.

Unemployed Blanchard pleaded guilty to drug driving.

“He was disqualified from the roads for 16 months.

He was also fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £48 victim surcharge.