A DRUG-DRIVER who crashed into a heavy goods vehicle ‘wanted to get home’ after she had been using cocaine and alcohol, a court heard.

Police were called to a road traffic collision in Moresby, Whitehaven, on August 18 where a Vauxhall Corsa had driven into the back of an HGV at speed.

The driver of the car, Amy Hamilton, 28, was trapped in the driver’s side, as a result of the crash and had to be cut from the vehicle, Workington Magistrates’ Court heard.

Pamela Fee, prosecuting, said police suspected she was under the influence of alcohol. Hamilton was taken to hospital where a blood sample was taken for analysis.

This showed there was alcohol within the defendant’s system but it was below the legal limit.

But she had not less than 240mcg of Benzoylecgonine – the body breakdown product for cocaine – per litre of blood. The specified limit is 50mcg.

Hamilton was also found to have Pregabalin in her system.

A probation officer said there had been a decline in the defendant’s mental health and she presented as a ‘vulnerable individual’.

Prior to the offence, she had consumed alcohol and taken cocaine and then a Pregabalin tablet ‘to counter the effects’. She had woken up anxious and wanted to get home.

Hamilton realised how reckless her decision to drive was and it was only through good fortune that no one else was harmed, the court heard.

John Cooper, defending, said: “This is a lady of previous good character. She knows how lucky she is. I would be surprised if you ever see her back here again.”

Hamilton, of Moresby Parks Road, Whitehaven, pleaded guilty to driving a motor vehicle with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the specified limit.

Passing sentence, Sarah Bradbury, chair of the magistrates, told the defendant: “It does cross the custody threshold but you are not going to prison.

“You are of previous good character. You have given an early guilty plea and shown remorse.”

Hamilton was given a 12-month community order with a 120-day alcohol abstinence and monitoring requirement.

She was disqualified from driving for 30 months.