Drug driver jailed for causing fatal Bournemouth crash
42 year old Benjamin Stacey has been handed a nine year sentence
A Bournemouth drug driver's been jailed for nine years, after admitting causing a crash in which a woman died.
42 year old Benjamin Stacey, also known as Benjamin Hindley, has been sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court.
He's also been banned from driving for 14 and a half years, to begin after his release from prison.
What happened?
The causing death by dangerous driving charge relates to a collision Castle Lane West in Bournemouth in February 2023.
Stacey was riding a Honda motorbike with a pillion passenger at speeds of no less than 55 mph in a 30 zone.
He went through a red light and crashed with a VW Polo, which was turning in accordance with their green light.
Stacey and his passenger came off the bike - 46 year old Helen Cooper died at the scene, while he suffered serious injuries and had to have his left leg amputated below the knee.
A blood sample was taken at hospital, which found Stacey had 500 microgrammes of benzoylecgonine - a substance found in cocaine - in his system.
The legal limit is 50 microgrammes.
He was also found to have 140 microgrammes of ketamine in his blood - above the legal limit of 20 microgrammes.
Stacey was also already disqualified from driving at the time of the incident, handed down for another drug driving offence.
Sergeant Richard Stroud, of the Roads Policing Team, said:
“Benjamin Stacey’s utterly reckless driving whilst heavily under the influence of drugs has had totally devastating consequences.
“Our thoughts remain with the family of Helen Cooper and I would like to thank them for their support throughout the investigation and court process.
“We cannot stress highly enough the risks motorists pose to themselves, their passengers and other road users by riding or driving when their judgement and reactions are impaired through the use of drink or drugs.
“We have seen yet again the devastating impact that these actions cause.
“I would like to thank members of the public for their courageous actions during the evening of the collision administering first aid until emergency services arrived. This would have been a tragic and upsetting scene for all involved.”