Chesterfield motorist found with drugs after crashing car into ditch

Police were called out at 7am following reports that a car had left Marsh Road, Orby, near Skegness, and arrived to find the driver Michael Johnson was still behind the wheel, Lincoln Crown Court heard.

Johnson was not injured and managed to get out of his vehicle and police then searched the car.

Amphetamine and cannabis were found and as a result officers carried out a search of Johnson's then home at The Acres, Lower Pilsley, near Chesterfield where they found more drugs.

Edna Leonard, prosecuting, said "Police attended to find a Renault Clio belonging to the defendant lying on its side in a ditch.

"The defendant was in the driver's seat. He was found to be under the influence.

"The police searched his vehicle. In the glove box on the passenger side they found 10gs of cannabis. There was a cigarette packet that contained amphetamine and a further bag which also contained amphetamine."

Miss Leonard said that as a result of what the police found they carried out a search of Johnson's home and found 96gs of amphetamine in the front room together with a small amount of cannabis.

The court was told that Johnson had previously received a seven year jail sentence imposed at Warrington Crown Court in 2012 for drug supply offences.

Johnson,36, now of Locko Road, Lower Pilsley, Chesterfield, admitted possession of amphetamine with intent to supply as a result of what the police found at his home. He also admitted two charges of illegal possession of drugs. The offences occurred on August 12 2017.

He was given a 10-month jail sentence suspended for two years and ordered to pay £1,200 towards prosecution costs.

Siward James-Moore, in mitigation, said "This is a case of a man dealing drugs to support his own entrenched habit."

He said that Johnson has a job and is in a long-term stable relationship.

Mr James-Moore told the "I urge you to consider whether you genuinely have to impose an immediate custodial sentence on this man."