Dangerous A12 drug-driver is jailed

Monday, March 11, 2013
9:50 AM

A drug-driver who weaved across the A12 for seven miles before a head-on crash has been jailed for 12 months.

Steven Gittins, 45, of Maltings Close, Halesworth, was jailed and banned from the road for five years after admitting dangerous driving at Ipswich Crown Court.

His driving alarmed motorists so much that one woman overtook his car, flashed her headlights and put on her warning lights to alert oncoming traffic.

Gittins, who suffers from schizophrenia and had a high level of the drug GHB in his system, also ignored a police car as officers tried to get him to pull over.

Patricia Doggett, prosecuting, said Gittins was seen driving erratically at 15mph-30mph along the B1123 towards the A12 near Blythburgh at about 9.30pm on August 4, 2012.

As he positioned the car at the A12 junction as if to turn left towards Lowestoft, a couple tried to pull alongside him in their vehicle. However, he appeared oblivious and turned right on to the A12.

Police were called after he was seen clipping the central reservation.

The court was told he continued along the A12 driving between 10mph and 40mph, swerving, and hitting and mounting kerbs repeatedly.

Despite the efforts to stop him and various near-misses, Gittins contin-ued until he had a head-on crash with a Ford Focus near Darsham.

Mita Farrelly, mitigating, said Gittins took the drug to help cope with his anxiety.