Ferrari driver was on drink and drugs when he crashed at 100mph in south Warwickshire

A COMPANY director was high on cocaine and alcohol when he lost control of his Ferrari at 100mph and crashed into a lamppost.

Darren Turner went straight across the Oversley Mill on the A46 in his red Ferrari California, smashed into a lamppost and ended up on the wrong side of a dual carriageway.

Turner, 46, of Redhill Road, Kings Norton, Birmingham, was jailed for 12 months and banned from driving for four-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to dangerous driving and driving with over the legal limits of alcohol and cocaine in his blood.

Prosecutor Ryan Hodgkins said that in July last year, Turner, who runs a pallets and recycling firm in Tyseley, Birmingham, was driving in excess of 100mph when he lost control and hit the central barrier, causing the front of the car to be lifted of the ground.

Another driver had to take evasive action as the Ferrari bounced back onto the carriageway.

“He reached the roundabout and went straight across the middle of it and hit a lamppost and spun out of control,” said Mr Hodgkins.

The wrecked £100,000 Ferrari narrowly missed an oncoming car as it ended up on the wrong side of the road.

Turner was injured in the crash and was given first aid at the scene before being taken to hospital in Worcester.

A blood sample showed he was close to double the legal limit of alcohol, and a reading for benzoylecgonine, an indicator of having taken cocaine, was more than nine times the legal limit.

The court heard that among Turner’s previous convictions for driving offences were two for driving with excess alcohol, one for failing to provide a specimen and one for dangerous driving.

Patrick Kelly, defending, said: “This was a night of stupidity. He apologises unreservedly for what he’s done. He should have known better.”

Mr Kelly said that for 20 years Turner had struggled with alcohol, and six years ago he took over the Turner’s Pallets business following the death of his father.

“He did not receive any counselling for that, and alcohol was not doing it for him, and he turned to drugs. His wife had put up with the drink, but the drugs destroyed the marriage.”

He added: “Since the accident he went on a spiral of depression. He got through that and has remained dry and clean. He has learned his lesson.”

Mr Kelly added that the company has 15 employees, and because Turner was responsible for getting new business, it would suffer and jobs would be at risk if he was incarcerated.

But jailing Turner, Judge Andrew Lockhart QC told him: “People think that offences like this don’t have victims, but they do. The victim is the public’s safety.

“Plainly this offending is so serious that only a significant custodial sentence can be justified.”