Drug driver sentenced following serious collision in Chester

A drug driver who caused a serious collision in Chester city centre has now been sentenced.

Matthew Cumpsty appeared at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday 15 July, where he was handed a 12 month community order, including 200 hours community service. 

He was banned from driving for 16 months and ordered to pay £85 costs and £114 surcharge.

The 52-year-old, of Oldfield Drive, Great Boughton, had earlier pleaded guilty to drug driving and dangerous driving.

The court heard that at around 6.30am on Tuesday 1st April, Cumpsty was driving a silver Mercedes E-Class on Green Lane in Chester.

As he approached the junction with the A51, Vicars Cross Road, he drove straight through a red light, into the path of a JCB tractor, which had been travelling out of Chester.

The impact of the collision caused the tractor then veer off path, causing the vehicle to crash into homes at the side of the road.

Emergency services attended the scene and on arrival they found that two properties had suffered serious structural damage, but thankfully, there were no reports of any injuries as a result of the incident.

Cumpsty was arrested at the scene after failing a roadside drugs swipe. A toxicology report later reveal that he was over the limit for benzoylecgonine (cocaine) with 65 micrograms per litre of blood, over the limit of 50 micrograms per litre.

CCTV footage recovered from the scene also showed him clearly driving through the red light.

Following the sentencing, Police Constable Richard Phillips said:

“While Cumpsty has shown remorse for his actions, The impact of his actions that day were lifechanging and it was pure chance that nobody suffered any serious injuries.

“As a result of one bad decision to get behind the wheel while under the influence, several families were left homeless and commuters travelling into Chester were left with serious disruption for several weeks while repair work was undertaken.

“In addition, Cumpsty is facing a lengthy driving ban, I hope that this ban will give him time to reflect on his actions that day.”

Watch a video of the collision here...