South Tyneside man given roads ban after crashing an e-bike while under the influence of drugs

A drug-taking South Tyneside electric bike rider who jumped a junction and smashed into the side of a passing car hobbled into court on crutches to face charges.

Lewis Bell, 23, had consumed cocaine and ketamine when he overshot ‘stop’ markings in Fitzpatrick Place, near Westoe, causing himself a serious leg injury.

Bell, of Ravensworth Terrace, Chichester, carried on over the bonnet while his bike was pushed along by the car’s front at around 4pm on Tuesday, August 29.

His damaged right leg was strapped by a brace at the borough’s magistrates’ court, which heard he had spent time in hospital recuperating.

District Judge Zoe Passfield said she had taken into account he had “clearly suffered serious injury” – then banned him from driving for 30 months.

Of the health implications of the crash to him, she added: “I hope this was a deterrent to you driving like that again.

“If you drive while you are disqualified, you can expect to go to prison.”

Prosecutor Charlie Thompson said: “The defendant has driven an electric motorcycle and has driven into Fitzpatrick Place. He was at the junction and has moved out of the junction.

“It’s high culpability in that not only was there cocaine in his system, but there was also ketamine at above the limit.

“There was an unacceptable standard of driving. The starting point is 12 weeks’ custody, with a range of a high-level community order to 26 weeks custody.”

Bell pleaded guilty to charges of drug driving, driving without insurance, driving without a licence and driving without due care and attention.

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He gave a reading for cocaine breakdown product BZE of 77mcg. The legal limit is 50mcg.

David Forrester, defending, told the judge: “You’ve probably been able to see today, from the way that he appears, the impact it’s had on him.

“He has multiple injuries from this incident and has been punished about as much as you can be for his own stupidity and recklessness.

“I hope he understands, and he does understand, that he will be disqualified from driving.”

The court heard jobless Bell was progressing well in working with the Probation Service on post-sentence supervision, following a previous conviction.

He was also fined £200 and must pay £85 court costs and an £80 victim surcharge.