A mum was caught behind the wheel of her friend's Range Rover while more than 11 times the drug-drive limit.
Kerry Walker said she drove the Evoque as she had to 'urgently' collect her daughter from a sleepover. The 31-year-old, from Wythenshawe, had previously been snorting cocaine at a party, a court was told.
She was at her friend's home and had no intention of driving but said she received an unexpected call from her 13-year-old asking to be picked up. During the 21-mile journey in her friend's car, Walker was pulled over by police in Edgeley.
READ MORE: 'This could kill her': Family's battle after care home give gran with dementia just weeks to leave
A number plate recognition app flagged the car as being driven on an invalid Spanish insurance policy, Stockport Magistrates' Court was told. Tests showed the part-time cleaner had traces of the cocaine compound Benzoylecgonine in her system amounting to 557 microgrammes in 100 millilitres of blood.
The legal limit is 50mg. She also tested positive for cocaine itself.
Walker later insisted she had only taken cocaine at a party 48 hours before her arrest and did not realise the drug was still in her system. She said she had only made the ‘stupid decision’ to get in her friend’s car after her daughter begged her to pick her up.
Inquires revealed she had a previous drink driving conviction from 2019. Gareth Hughes, prosecuting said: "On the evening of 9th of April this year the defendant was at a friend’s house when she received a message from her 13-year-old daughter saying that she really wanted to come home from a friend’s house.
"She said that the message seemed urgent so she got in her friend’s car, a Range Rover Evoque SUV, and drove to pick her daughter up. Shortly after, when Walker was driving on Lark Hill Road in Edgeley officers nearby noticed with their automatic number plate recognition system that the friend’s car did not currently have a valid insurance policy.
"The officers signalled Walker to stop, which she did, and questioned her about her lack of insurance. Walker was insistent that the car had a valid insurance policy that would cover her.
"Following this the police then conducted a routine roadside blood test. This showed a reading of 22 mcg/L for cocaine, which exceeded the legal limit of 10mg.
"She also showed traces of Benzoylecgonine in her blood amounting to 557 mcg/L. Benzoylecgonine is a substance that is formed when an individual ingests cocaine.”
Walker had previously been banned from driving for 14 months in 2019. She was caught at the wheel of a Vauxhall Corsa car in Didsbury whilst one and a half times the alcohol limit, the court was told.
Simon Morton, representing Walker said: "Ms Walker is horrified by the realisation that she will be losing her licence again and she is genuinely remorseful for her actions. She had no intention of driving on that day and it did not cross her mind that drugs would still be in her system.
"With regards to the insurance, she genuinely believed that the Spanish insurance policy that her friend had on the car would cover her driving. She was not to know that the type of policy that she was driving under would not cover her whilst driving in the UK.
"She is a single mother to two children and works part-time as a cleaner, earning roughly £240 per week."
Walker, of Nearbrook Road, Wythenshawe, admitted drug driving and was banned from the roads for three years. Sentencing, chairman of the magistrates, Paul Dunn said: "You do appear to be truly remorseful and we do understand your reasons for getting behind the wheel.
"Of course, your daughter will always come first. However, taking control of a vehicle when under the influence is never acceptable.
"Even if the drugs in question were ingested a few days prior. We hope that this has given you another wake-up call."
Walker was also fined £120 and ordered to pay £129 in costs and a victim surcharge.
Read more of today's top stories here
READ NEXT:
- 'It's disgusting' - Volunteers feeding breakfast to the homeless were slapped with parking fines
- 'Monstrous' metal structure 'The Rocket' that plagued angry homeowners will be ripped down
- Oldham headteacher steps down after historic tweets emerge containing racial and derogatory comments
- New £20m link road opens connecting M62 with Greater Manchester's 'Atom Valley'
- Everything you need to know as second report into Manchester Arena terror attack is published today
