SCUM OF THE EARTH CAGED.

The father of a child who was struck by a drug driver while riding his bike has called for the police to be given greater powers to immediately suspend the licence of motorists suspected of driving under the influence of drugs.

Six-year-old Noah Herring was cycling to the park on an off-road bike lane with his father James in February 2021 when he was struck by a motorist at 60mph in a 30mph zone.

The driver, Harry Summersgill, was under the influence of a cocktail of cocaine, cannabis and ketamine at the time of the crash on the Yarm Road in Stockton. He later pleaded guilty at Teesside Crown Court to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and was sentenced to three years in prison. The 24-year-old was also banned from driving for six and a half years.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Noah’s father James recounted the traumatic moments immediately after the crash, which left the young cyclist with serious injuries.

“It was just a big explosion,” he said. “And then a couple of seconds went by, I couldn’t see Noah. And that’s when I went over and I could see him, and I thought that was the last time I was going to see my son – and I wasn’t ready for that.

“He was broken and I couldn’t fix him. Something inside just kicked in and I did everything I could for him.”

At the time of the crash, Summersgill had previously been arrested on two occasions for driving under the influence of drugs.

Under the current system, motorists arrested for suspected drug driving can continue to drive while they await the results of blood tests, something James says must change to prevent further serious and potentially tragic incidents.

He said: “Magistrates will just get a piece of paper telling what the person has and hasn’t done. Whereas police officers see this day in and day out.

“I think if the police had more power to do something about it on the spot – revoke that licence or suspend that licence – that’s the fastest way to do things.”

Earlier this month the government launched a public consultation (link is external) on the creation of a high-risk offender scheme for drug drivers, that would include a rehabilitation course and a requirement for medical clearance before a convicted drug driver can regain their licence, which James describes as “a step in the right direction”.

“Drug driving ruins lives,” he said. “I believe the more information, help and support out there, the more chance we have to stop drug drivers.”

> Drug driver who killed five cyclists jailed for at least 16 years

40 percent of people arrested for drug driving have been convicted before, according to Mike Barton, the former Chief Constable of Durham Constabulary, who said it was a “miracle” that Noah survived after being struck at 60mph.

“People don’t realise that cars and vehicles are weapons, and people see it as a right that they can drive their car and be cocooned in it,” Barton told BBC Breakfast. “But of course it’s really dangerous and you’ve seen that [with the incident involving Noah].

“It’s only in the last few years that the law has changed so drug driving is an actual offence in itself – it only came in in 2012.

“From a standing start, the police now prosecute 10,000 people a year for drug driving. So it’s a remarkable rise over the last ten years.

“But of course, more needs to be done, and the big problem with drug driving is finding that 40 percent of the people who are convicted of it have been convicted before.

“I think if we just rely on convictions, that’s not going to solve the problem. I think there’s got to be something wider than that.

“That’s why the government is talking about rehabilitation courses. If people don’t go on a drink driving rehabilitation course, they’re two to three times more likely to reoffend than those who do attend the course. So there’s no doubt that drink driving rehabilitation courses work. The problem is that the government hasn’t been able to come up with a curriculum for the drug driving course, because it’s a bit tricker because people are addicted to drugs.”

Barton agreed with James’ call to increase the speed at which decisions are made concerning drug drivers, but noted that the current system, along with a lack of financial resources in a number of police forces, provides a barrier to immediate action.

He continued: “So what’s been done outside the criminal justice system is something called ‘Operation Revoke’. If the police suspect that somebody’s got mental health issues, a medical condition, or drug dependency, then the police can get that evidence together, send it to the DVLA, and they can then revoke that person’s licence after due process. But, sadly, that takes months.

“While James was talking about the need for immediacy, which I agree with, at the moment the things that are being done take time.”

The former Chief Constable also pointed out that drug tests are undertaken by the private sector, costing, according to Barton, £16 for a roadside saliva test to be conducted and £400 for it to be tested.

He said: “In some police forces which are short of cash there may be a fiscal reason why they’re not doing as many drugs tests as they might have done”.

Fortunately, despite suffering serious injuries in the crash, Noah, now eight, is fully recovered and is back riding his bike.

“There’ll hopefully be a lot more bike riding in the future for us,” his dad said. “Cycling was a massive part of my life and hopefully it will be a big part of Noah’s.

“Noah’s my hero – no kid should go what he went through. But he went through it, and he’s had a lot of support and he supported us. And he’s back to being a happy little child again.”

https://road.cc/content/news/calls-greater-police-powers-over-drug-drivers-292079

On 20/04/2022 02:32 pm, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:

> SCUM OF THE EARTH CAGED.
>
> The father of a child who was struck by a drug driver while riding his bike has called for the police to be given greater powers to immediately suspend the licence of motorists suspected of driving under the influence of drugs.

A power for the police to disqualify citizens from driving on the spot
would be a very dangerous thing. Too dangerous, in fact.

And there's no need for it.

Just lock up drug-test failures until their case comes up. That does the
job adequately and does not threaten the liberty of anyone else.

> Six-year-old Noah Herring was cycling to the park on an off-road bike lane with his father James in February 2021 when he was struck by a motorist at 60mph in a 30mph zone.
>
> The driver, Harry Summersgill, was under the influence of a cocktail of cocaine, cannabis and ketamine at the time of the crash on the Yarm Road in Stockton. He later pleaded guilty at Teesside Crown Court to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and was sentenced to three years in prison. The 24-year-old was also banned from driving for six and a half years.
>
> Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Noah’s father James recounted the traumatic moments immediately after the crash, which left the young cyclist with serious injuries.
>
> “It was just a big explosion,” he said. “And then a couple of seconds went by, I couldn’t see Noah. And that’s when I went over and I could see him, and I thought that was the last time I was going to see my son – and I wasn’t ready for that.
>
> “He was broken and I couldn’t fix him. Something inside just kicked in and I did everything I could for him.”
>
> At the time of the crash, Summersgill had previously been arrested on two occasions for driving under the influence of drugs.
>
> Under the current system, motorists arrested for suspected drug driving can continue to drive while they await the results of blood tests, something James says must change to prevent further serious and potentially tragic incidents.
>
> He said: “Magistrates will just get a piece of paper telling what the person has and hasn’t done. Whereas police officers see this day in and day out.
>
> “I think if the police had more power to do something about it on the spot – revoke that licence or suspend that licence – that’s the fastest way to do things.”
>
> Earlier this month the government launched a public consultation (link is external) on the creation of a high-risk offender scheme for drug drivers, that would include a rehabilitation course and a requirement for medical clearance before a convicted drug driver can regain their licence, which James describes as “a step in the right direction”.
>
> “Drug driving ruins lives,” he said. “I believe the more information, help and support out there, the more chance we have to stop drug drivers.”
>
>> Drug driver who killed five cyclists jailed for at least 16 years
>
> 40 percent of people arrested for drug driving have been convicted before, according to Mike Barton, the former Chief Constable of Durham Constabulary, who said it was a “miracle” that Noah survived after being struck at 60mph.
>
> “People don’t realise that cars and vehicles are weapons, and people see it as a right that they can drive their car and be cocooned in it,” Barton told BBC Breakfast. “But of course it’s really dangerous and you’ve seen that [with the incident involving Noah].
>
> “It’s only in the last few years that the law has changed so drug driving is an actual offence in itself – it only came in in 2012.
>
> “From a standing start, the police now prosecute 10,000 people a year for drug driving. So it’s a remarkable rise over the last ten years.

Ten thousand arrests and remands in custody per annum until the hearing
is perhaps a tall order, but if it's necessary in order to keep the
roads safe - it's necessary. It isn't only children on bikes whose
safety is threatened by it.

> “But of course, more needs to be done, and the big problem with drug driving is finding that 40 percent of the people who are convicted of it have been convicted before.
>
> “I think if we just rely on convictions, that’s not going to solve the problem. I think there’s got to be something wider than that.
>
> “That’s why the government is talking about rehabilitation courses. If people don’t go on a drink driving rehabilitation course, they’re two to three times more likely to reoffend than those who do attend the course. So there’s no doubt that drink driving rehabilitation courses work. The problem is that the government hasn’t been able to come up with a curriculum for the drug driving course, because it’s a bit tricker because people are addicted to drugs.”
>
> Barton agreed with James’ call to increase the speed at which decisions are made concerning drug drivers, but noted that the current system, along with a lack of financial resources in a number of police forces, provides a barrier to immediate action.
>
> He continued: “So what’s been done outside the criminal justice system is something called ‘Operation Revoke’. If the police suspect that somebody’s got mental health issues, a medical condition, or drug dependency, then the police can get that evidence together, send it to the DVLA, and they can then revoke that person’s licence after due process. But, sadly, that takes months.
>
> “While James was talking about the need for immediacy, which I agree with, at the moment the things that are being done take time.”
>
> The former Chief Constable also pointed out that drug tests are undertaken by the private sector, costing, according to Barton, £16 for a roadside saliva test to be conducted and £400 for it to be tested.
>
> He said: “In some police forces which are short of cash there may be a fiscal reason why they’re not doing as many drugs tests as they might have done”.
>
> Fortunately, despite suffering serious injuries in the crash, Noah, now eight, is fully recovered and is back riding his bike.
>
> “There’ll hopefully be a lot more bike riding in the future for us,” his dad said. “Cycling was a massive part of my life and hopefully it will be a big part of Noah’s.
>
> “Noah’s my hero – no kid should go what he went through. But he went through it, and he’s had a lot of support and he supported us. And he’s back to being a happy little child again.”
>
> https://road.cc/content/news/calls-greater-police-powers-over-drug-drivers-292079
>

On 20/04/2022 13:32, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:

> Earlier this month the government launched a public consultation on the creation of a high-risk offender scheme for drug drivers, that would include a rehabilitation course and a requirement for medical clearance before a convicted drug driver can regain their licence, which [was described] as “a step in the right direction”.

Now we need such a scheme for cyclists.

--
Spike

On 20/04/2022 13:32, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:

> 40 percent of people arrested for drug driving have been convicted before

60 percent of people arrested for drug driving have not been convicted
before,

--
Spike

On 20/04/2022 03:19 pm, Spike wrote:

> On 20/04/2022 13:32, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:
>
>> Earlier this month the government launched a public consultation on the creation of a high-risk offender scheme for drug drivers, that would include a rehabilitation course and a requirement for medical clearance before a convicted drug driver can regain their licence, which [was described] as “a step in the right direction”.

Does the lack of the requisite licence and skill-set stop those
fully-qualified fairy-cyclists from purporting to "drive" at present?

Constant reports of court proceedings suggests that in far too many
cases, it does not.

> Now we need such a scheme for cyclists.

Indeed. There is no good reason why drug-swilling fairy-cyclists should
not be kept on remand (in custody) at the very least until their case
comes up.

On 20/04/2022 03:26 pm, Spike wrote:

> On 20/04/2022 13:32, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:
>
>> 40 percent of people arrested for drug driving have been convicted before
>
> 60 percent of people arrested for drug driving have not been convicted
> before

Everyone who commits the offence has to have had a "first time".

The issue is whether they should be allowed a second time. At least, in
the interim period before their case comes up.

But at least one denizen of this NG probably won't be in favour of
anything which discourages the possession and use of illegal drugs.

On 20/04/2022 14:30, JNugent wrote:
> On 20/04/2022 03:19 pm, Spike wrote:
>> On 20/04/2022 13:32, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:

>>> Earlier this month the government launched a public consultation on the creation of a high-risk offender scheme for drug drivers, that would include a rehabilitation course and a requirement for medical clearance before a convicted drug driver can regain their licence, which [was described] as “a step in the right direction”.

> Does the lack of the requisite licence and skill-set stop those
> fully-qualified fairy-cyclists from purporting to "drive" at present?

> Constant reports of court proceedings suggests that in far too many
> cases, it does not.

>> Now we need such a scheme for cyclists.

> Indeed. There is no good reason why drug-swilling fairy-cyclists should
> not be kept on remand (in custody) at the very least until their case
> comes up.

Quite so. Sauce for the goose, etc.

--
Spike

On 20/04/2022 14:32, JNugent wrote:
> On 20/04/2022 03:26 pm, Spike wrote:
>> On 20/04/2022 13:32, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:

>>> 40 percent of people arrested for drug driving have been convicted before

>> 60 percent of people arrested for drug driving have not been convicted
>> before

> Everyone who commits the offence has to have had a "first time".

> The issue is whether they should be allowed a second time. At least, in
> the interim period before their case comes up.

> But at least one denizen of this NG probably won't be in favour of
> anything which discourages the possession and use of illegal drugs.

<mild surprise> Really? In this day and age?

--
Spike

On Wednesday, April 20, 2022 at 2:32:01 PM UTC+1, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:
> SCUM OF THE EARTH CAGED.
iandusud | 542 posts | 1 hour ago
2 likes

"The problem is that the government hasn’t been able to come up with a curriculum for the drug driving course, because it’s a bit tricker because people are addicted to drugs.”

The problem is that people are addicted to driving! Magistrates should give lifetime bans to people drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. I know people are going to say but they'll drive anyway, and that maybe true, but they will incur a much stricter penalty (prison I would hope) if they do so. We abandoned our car two years ago and many people don't drive or can afford to run a car, and yet it's not a problem, there are other methods of transport. For some reason judges seem to think that people can't live without the use of a car and that banning them from driving is in some way depriving them of their human rights. In reality I think they are just projecting their own driving addiction.

APPLAUSE - WELL SAID.

On 20/04/2022 15:43, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:

> "The problem is that the government hasn’t been able to come up with a curriculum for the drug driving course, because it’s a bit tricker because people are addicted to drugs.”

> Magistrates should give lifetime bans to people drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

"We can't point to a single person that has been saved by getting drug
drivers off the road" - as a Swedish doctor might have said.

--
Spike

Mungecrundle | 2580 posts | 21 hours ago
11 likes

I went through a period of mental illness last year due to extreme sleep deprivation. One of the symptoms was daytime hallucinations to the extent of not knowing which were real and which were fiction. The most horrific and recurring image was of my teenage son mangled and broken following a RTC. Even though not real it was utterly horrific and still gives me occasional night terrors. For Noah's Father or indeed any parent to go through the trauma of this scenario, let alone witness the event should be more than enough reason for drink, drug and other reckless driving behaviours to be cracked down on far harder than they are currently. Instant loss of licence at the roadside for a failed test pending court proceedings and the ability to permanently remove driving privileges for persistent offenders.