Leeds drug driver spared jail after seriously injuring two in BMW crash

Aaron Tinker, 30 lost control of his 1 series BMW at the junction of Hall Green Lane and Dunkeswick Lane in North Rigton before ploughing into two cars.

A man and a woman, travelling in the two different cars, both sustained serious injuries in the crash on March 13, 2015. Fortunately, there were no fatalities.

Tinker, of Seacroft, Leeds, was found to have cannabis in his system and tests showed he was over the prescribed drug drive limit at the time of the crash.

He admitted two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving while over the prescribed limit.

Tinker escaped jail at York Crown Court on Thursday, March 17, but received a 21-month suspended prison sentence with 280 hours of unpaid community work.

Sergeant Julian Pearson of North Yorkshire Police's Roads Policing Group said it was a miracle nobody was killed as a result of Tinker's 'stupid decision'.

He said: "This case clearly highlights the potentially-lethal combination of drugs and driving.

“This was a horrific collision that left two innocent motorists with serious and sustained injuries. The saving grace is that, miraculously, nobody was killed.

“New drug driving laws were introduced just days before this incident. This ensured we could not only charge Tinker with dangerous driving, we could also hold him to account for the very stupid decision he made to get behind the wheel after consuming drugs.

“Today’s sentence sends out a clear message that this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated on our roads, and we will do whatever it takes to catch perpetrators and bring them to justice.”

Tinker was also banned from driving for three years and ordered to pay £1,500 in court costs.