A man high on cocaine has escaped an immediate prison sentence despite nearly killing his best friend when he crashed grandma’s car – which he took without her consent.
Jordon Andrew Satchwith, 19, pleaded guilty to an array of offences – including driving whilst nearly three times over the cocaine limit, driving without a licence and aggravated vehicle taking.
At Swindon Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (25 August), prosecutor Kate Prince said the defendant had taken his grandmother’s Ford Mondeo without her consent and collected his closest friend Alliyah Ponniah.
He had been drinking prior to taking the vehicle and had consumed a quantity of cocaine.
Satchwith, who does not have a licence, was driving along the A361 near Highworth at around 1am on 12 March this year, when he lost control of the car – with it spinning multiple times before striking a wall.
The front seat passenger, Ms Ponniah, sustained life-threatening injuries in the impact and was rushed to hospital, where she was treated in intensive care.
Satchwith remained at the scene, providing emergency first aid to his friend and cooperating with the police fully. He failed the roadside DrugWipe test and was arrested.
“There is no statement from the victim, she supports the defendant and has forgiven him”, she added. The victim also provided the court with a character reference in Satchwith’s favour.
Evidential readings confirmed that the defendant, of Lismore Road, Highworth, was nearly three times the cocaine-drive limit and more than six times over the drug-driving limit for benzoylecgonine (a derivative of cocaine). Despite having alcohol in his system, he was not over the drink-drive limit at the time.
Gordon Hotson, defending, said his client picked up his friend after taking his grandmother’s car without her knowledge so that she could provide him support – after he’d consumed alcohol and cocaine.
“His friend has always been a crutch on which he has rest, especially when he is experiencing emotional issues”, he said.
Adding: “She was being collected to give him some support that night. The drug he was using, cocaine, had a depressant effect on him and made him feel very bad, it made him feel suicidal.”
Mr Hotson said Satchwith has taken “great steps to rid himself of his cocaine dependency”, which was costing him approximately £400 a month. He has engaged with U-Turn and has undergone random drug testing – which he last passed on 8 August.
“He has been able to completely rid himself of his dependency, which is very much to his credit,” he said.
Continuing, he added: “Having not done awfully well at school, he has a positive work ethic – going out and securing himself a job at a butchers, where he is doing very well indeed.
“It’s not a career he planned to go into, but a career he does thoroughly enjoy. He hopes to progress with it with the support of his employers.”
Mr Hotson confirmed that Satchwith and his close friend remain close – stating that she “remains supportive despite being hospitalised for some considerable time after the crash”.
He said his client “did all the right things” following the crash – “described as one stupid mistake” – including staying at the scene and providing life-saving first aid to his friend.
Magistrates imposed a 12-week prison sentence, suspending it for 18 months. He was ordered to carry out 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 12 mental health treatment sessions.
He was also fined £300 and must pay £85 prosecution costs and a £128 surcharge.
