Blidworth mum drove kids while high on drugs

Police were called to Dale Lane, Blidworth, where Jodie Jegasothy’s Vauxhall Astra had broken down, at 7.15pm, on October 17.

Prosecutor Robert Carr said: “They approached her and formed the opinion she was drunk and were concerned about the small children.

“Witnesses said they had seen the car stall and tried to help her, but she seemed not to be capable of steering the vehicle, and kept repeating that her son was in the car in front.”

She was arrested on suspicion of being in charge of a vehicle while unfit to drive.

A test revealed she had 699 microgrammes of the drug in one litre of blood, when the legal limit is 250 microgrammes

“She told police that she took drugs twice a day and used £50 of the drug a week,” added Mr Carr.

“She said she used the vehicle daily while transporting the children to and from school.”

Jegasothy, 31, of Appleton Road, admitted driving with a controlled drug above the specified limit, and driving without insurance, when she appeared before magistrates in Mansfield, on Thursday.

Emma Cornell said Jegasothy, a mum of three, with no previous convictions, was looking for her 14-year-old son at the time, and had children, aged nine and five, in the car at the time.

Her husband died in April 2016, and she suffered severe mental health problems in May 2017, the court heard.

“She was using amphetamine to aid with dieting, but since accepts that it was to take the edge off her depression,” said Ms Cornell.

“She hasn’t used amphetamine since and has been prescribed anti-depressants.”

Probation officer Sarah Alderton said Jagersothy was already working with several agencies and had concerns about her ability to engage with the probation service.

District judge Andrew Meachin told Jagersothy: “No matter what you think, this offence of drug driving at this level is serious because of the potential consequences to others, never mind yourself.”

He handed her a 12 month community order with 15 days of a rehabilitation activity to deal with her mental health and drug issues.

She was banned for 18 months, and ordered to pay £85 costs and an £85 government surcharge.