Sutton DJ wrote off his new car while under the influence of cannabis and was later caught drink driving

Joseph Stephen Haynes was involved in the collision on November 19 last year, in Cauldwell Road, Sutton, writing off the Skoda that he had just bought, Nottingham Magistrates’ Court was told on Friday, October 9.

Then on February 15 this year, police saw him overshoot a red light in Mansfield Road, Ravenshead, where he was found to be over the drink-drive limit.

Describing the earlier offence, Neil Hollett, prosecuting, told the court: “Officers said the defendant sounded sleepy and distracted but they could not establish whether it was because of drugs or because he was suffering from the effects of the accident.

“He told them that it was a brand new car and he had taken it for a drive.

“He passed a roadside breath test for drink driving, but a blood test was taken and cannabis was found in his system.”

Talking about the drink-drive offence, he added: “Police saw him overshoot a red traffic light by about four metres. They could smell alcohol on him and he failed a roadside breath test.”

Haynes, 22, of Skegby Road, Sutton, admitted both drink and drug driving when he appeared before the court.

Mitigating, Abby Edwards said that Haynes smoked cannabis to help him sleep, and had been over the drink-drive limit because a friend had given him double measures at an event he was performing at.

She said: “He was working as a DJ and over the course of the evening he was given two drinks by a friend who works behind the bar and he didn’t realise that they were doubles.

“With the drug drive offence, he accepts that he was driving the vehicle and that he had cannabis in his system, but he says the collision was caused by the other driver trying to perform a U-turn.”

Magistrates gave Haynes an 18-month community order to include 100 hours of unpaid work and 12 rehabilitation activity days with the Probation Service.

He was also banned from driving for a total of 16 months and was ordered to pay £150 in prosecution costs and a £90 victim surcharge.

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