One mother was driving to school and was intoxicated with cocaine, prompting other parents to intervene and take her car keys.
Last November, Hayley Berry, 36, was described as clearly damaged when she suddenly stopped her vehicle in the middle of the road in Broadstairs, Kent. The worried parents quickly stepped in, one person escorted her children to school safely before reminding the authorities.
Berry was later arrested and charged with driving and driving without being suitable for drug use. Subsequent blood tests showed that her system had 83 micrograms of benzylmethylaminolate per liter, which was higher than the legal limit of 50 micrograms per liter. The court also heard traces of a sedative and anesthetic drug in her system, although she had not exceeded the statutory limit at the time.
During a hearing held in the Margate District Court on March 7, Berry pleaded guilty. Prosecutor Lucie Fish details how a passerby physically stopped Berry and grabbed the keys while the bystanders ensured her child arrived at school safely.
Berry’s defense attorney Nigel Numas proposed a role reference to her cocaine sponsor, who said she made significant progress in overcoming addiction and was responsible for her actions. The court was also told that Berry had consumed GHB without knowing it, believing that this was the legal height given to her by a man he saw at the time.
The magistrate sentenced her to eight weeks in prison and sentenced to 12 months, denounced Berry’s move as “one of the worst examples of drug driving” he encountered, adding: “You have the youngest child in the car and you’ve left. I don’t want to think what will happen.”
In addition to being probation, Berry was banned from driving for 30 months and ordered 100 hours of unpaid work. She also has to pay a victim surcharge of £154 and a court fee of £85, due to the general credit, she will pay in installments.
