A MAN subject to a six year driving ban who stole his mother’s car and crashed into a lorry near Chard with three different drugs in his system has been allowed to walk free from court.

Ashley Mark Trigg had been convicted of four previous drink driving offences when he took the car to go and score some drugs while he already had illegal amounts of ecstasy, cocaine and ketamine in his blood.

When police arrived at the crash scene they found the defendant staggering around in a confused manner and his speech was incoherent.

They also found a bag containing pills with a smiley face on them, and after he gave a negative breath test was arrested on suspicion of having taken drugs.

Yet despite the defendant himself admitting that he “deserved to go to prison” and the magistrates acknowledging he had an “appalling record” they told him they were giving him a second last chance to stay out of jail after hearing that he was turning his life around and gave him a suspended prison sentence.

Trigg, 30, of Fawcus Place, Chard, pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated vehicle taking and driving the Renault Scenic on the A30 at Cricket St Thomas while disqualified and without insurance.

He also admitted driving the vehicle when the proportions of MDMA, Benzoylecgonine and Ketamine in his blood exceeded the specified limit and being in possession of seven tablets of MDMA during the incident on July 12.

Prosecutor Stuart Sampson said that Trigg’s mother had left her car at the garage where he worked to have new tyres fitted, but several days later it was involved in a collision on the A30 near Chard.

“The vehicle collided with a tanker lorry before driving head first into a tree and when the police were called they found the driver was Trigg who was disqualified and had no insurance,” he said.

“He was acting in a confused manner at the scene, ignored the police and was seen to be staggering around with incoherent speech and was trying to get back into the car.

“He provided a negative breath test and it was then discovered he was in possession of a small bag of pills in the shape of smiley faces and a check with his mother confirmed he did not have permission to drive her car.

“A specimen of blood was taken and three drugs were found in his system and Trigg admitted he had crashed the car and believed the drugs in his system were ecstasy.”

The car was written off following the accident and when the defendant was interviewed by police he said his mum’s car was ready for collection and he thought he would surprise her and drive it back home.

However he admitted he was disqualified and had no insurance and knew she would not have given him permission to drive it.

The court was also told that Trigg had been sent to prison previously for drink driving without insurance and while disqualified and had also had a previous suspended sentence activated in full.

Defending solicitor Ray Peters said that Trigg had an appalling driving record and knew his liberty was very much at risk.

“However he is genuinely remorseful for what has happened and has realised that at the age of 30 that things have got to change, in particular his addiction and use of illegal substances,” he said.

“He has taken drugs from an early age starting with cannabis and then progressed to hard drugs and there has been a regular supply of them throughout his life.”

He said that Trigg had four previous matters of driving with excess alcohol, three of those within the last 10 years, and he recently relapsed following the breakdown of a relationship and started drinking and taking drugs again.

“However this incident did have a very salutary lesson to such an extent that not only did he accept he had issues that needed to be addressed, but he sought help for treatment from the Somerset Drugs and Alcohol Service (SDAS).

“He has accepted responsibility for his behaviour and fortunately there were no personal injuries in the road traffic collision and my client was also upset after writing off his mother’s car.”

Probation officer Joe Harper said that on the day in question Trigg decided to take his mother’s car back home and also wanted to go and score some drugs.

“He had various drugs in his system at the time and then drove the vehicle with a view to taking it back to his mother, and all he could think about was the drugs and the fact that he wanted to score some,” he said.

“He was going through a very bad time and said he hated himself and had very low self esteem.

“He had got caught up in the drugs wold so badly he was disgusted with his own life and behaviour and was just drifting.

“He had not slept for 40 hours and was almost bingeing on drugs building up to this offence and just didn’t care anymore or consider the consequences of what could happen.”

However he said the defendant had managed to have periods of abstinence from taking drugs through his life and was currently working as an apprentice welder.

“His work is giving him focus now, although he accepts he deserves to go to prison,” added Mr Harper.

No one was injured during the crash, although nearly £2,000 worth of damage was caused to the lorry.

Chair of the magistrates, Susan Coates, told Trigg that he had “an appalling record” saying that if it wasn’t for the fact that they had been told he was turning his life around then he would have been sent into custody.

“It is only fortunate that somebody has not been hurt or killed but we are going to give you another last chance,” she said.

They imposed a 19 week prison sentence, suspended for two years, and during that time the defendant was ordered to carry out 100 hours unpaid work and a 25 day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement.

They also imposed a further three year driving ban, to run alongside his current six year disqualification which is due to expire in 2022 and said he must take an extended re-test before he is allowed to drive again. Costs of £85 and a £115 victim surcharge were also imposed.