Drink and drug driver who abandoned passenger in crash banned for three years

A drink and drug driver who rolled his vehicle and then abandoned his passenger on the A27 has been banned from driving.

Joshua Biggs, 31, lost control of his vehicle near Arundel and hit a tree at 11.30pm on January 28.

He walked away from the wreckage and made no attempt to help his passenger.

Biggs was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving, having been spotted walking along the carriageway half a mile away by police.

A roadside breath test showed he had 51 microgrammes (mcg) of alcohol per 100 millilitres (ml) of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.

Later he gave a positive blood sample for alcohol in his blood. The blood test also revealed he had cannabis in his system above the drug-driving limit.

Biggs, unemployed, of Cheviot Close, East Preston, appeared before Crawley Magistrates’ Court on August 5 where he admitted driving over the prescribed limit for alcohol and driving over the prescribed limit for a class B drug.

He was disqualified from driving for three years and ordered to stay alcohol-free for 120 days, as part of a ten-week suspended prison sentence.

The court ordered Biggs to complete ten rehabilitation activity requirement (RAR) days, and to pay £85 court costs and a £128 victim surcharge.

PC Ant Baker said: “Drink and drug driving is a serious offence with serious consequences. Biggs decided to get behind the wheel of a car under the influence of drink and drugs, with no regard for other people’s safety.

“This demonstrates the kind of selfish mindset that it takes to drive a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

“The sentence handed to Biggs reflects the serious nature of the offence and his actions at the scene and serves as a deterrent to others who may consider committing these offences."