Drug driver from Brighton disqualified after testing positive for ten separate substances
and live on Freeview channel 276
Officers stopped Scott Taylor, 57, after his van was seen slowly rolling through a red light and then stalling in Ditchling Road, Brighton, at 7pm on January 20.
They found a wrap of heroin, alongside several needles, in the van and arrested him on suspicion of driving a motor vehicle while unfit through drugs. At this point, Taylor was already under investigation for an earlier drug driving incident.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdTaylor admitted to the offence, and to the possession of a class A drug, during his appearance at Brighton Magistrates Court on June 8. The court heard how, when Taylor stepped out of his Vauxhall Vivaro, he was “vacant and spaced out” and “unsteady” on his feet.
Urine samples revealed traces of ten substances in his body at the time of the incident, including cocaine, alcohol, morphine, codeine, diazepam and ketamine.
Taylor, 57, was ordered to complete treatment for drug dependency for six months with five rehabilitation activity requirement sessions. He was also ordered to pay a £114 victim surcharge and £85 costs, and disqualified from driving for one year.
The offence took place while Taylor was already being investigated for an incident in October last year, when he was stopped driving on Dyke Road after two 999 calls.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdTaylor was given a police caution for possession of heroin, and was later convicted for the driving offence on February 23 2023.
During that hearing, he admitted two charges of driving over a specified drug limit and driving while unfit through drugs. Blood samples showed he was over the legal limit for diazepam and ketamine. Morphine, oxazepam and temazepam were also detected in his blood. Combined, police said these would have significantly impaired his ability to drive.
Speaking after both cases PC Steve Lambeth said: "Taylor is someone who was caught driving just two months after a previous arrest for drug-driving. The cocktail of drugs in his system means he was in no fit state to drive and could have caused serious harm to himself and other road users.We are pleased that a potentially dangerous driver has been disqualified and I’d like to thank the members of the public who reported their concerns about Taylor’s driving to us.