Cocaine-fuelled driver had so much of the drug in his system it could not be measured by lab machine as he claimed he had snorted a ‘big fat line’ only after police pulled him over

• Anthony Tutt, 23, had a cocaine blood level that was too high to measure by lab
• He claimed he only took a ‘big fat line’ after getting out of his Audi A3 car
• But he later admitted to using drugs every day in the aftermath of a break-up 
• Tutt was given a six-month suspended sentence and 200 hours of unpaid work
• He has also been suspended from holding a driving licence for three years 

A driver who was pulled over for speeding by police tried to claim he had only taken a ‘big fat line’ after stopping his car has today been sentenced to a six-month suspended prison sentence.

Anthony Tutt, 23, had a cocaine blood level that was too high to measure on laboratory equipment, and was seen speeding in his Audi A3 around Eastbourne before being pursued to his home.

Tutt claimed he took a ‘big fat line’ after getting out of his car after testing positive for drugs on a roadside test by police.

But when experts tried to test his blood they found the amount of the class A drug in his system was above the range a laboratory machine could test.

He was found to be at least sixteen times over the drug-drive limit, but the full level of cocaine in his system could not be fully tested for, police said.

Tutt was driving an Audi A3, such as this A3 Sports S model, before being pulled over and tested for drugs by police (Picture: Stock image)

He was first seen by officers driving away at ‘excess speed’ in the village of Friston, East Sussex, and was then spotted minutes later five miles away in Eastbourne where the vehicle again drove off at high speed.

Cops traced the Audi to Tutt’s home in Eastbourne, East Sussex, and arrested him on the driveway on August 29 last year.

Tutt admitted he was the driver and then claimed he took a ‘big fat line’ of coke only after getting out of the vehicle.

But he later told officers he was taking a large amount of the class A drug every day due to a break-up, police said.

A DrugWipe test at the roadside showed he was positive, so he was arrested and taken into custody.

Later he gave a sample that was positive for 183 microgrammes (mcg) of cocaine per litre of blood. The legal limit is 10mcg of cocaine per litre of blood.

The chemical breakdown of cocaine, called benzoylecgonine, was tested in Tutt’s sample and was found to be more than 800mcg per litre of his blood – the maximum the lab can measure. The legal limit for this element is 50mcg per litre of blood. 

Tutt, who is unemployed, was charged with drug-driving and driving without due care and attention.

He admitted all the charges at Hastings Magistrates’ Court last month, and was today handed a six-month suspended prison sentence as well as being ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work.

The defendant was banned from driving for three years and ordered to do an extended retest before he is allowed to get his licence back.

Tutt must also do 15 rehabilitation activity requirement sessions (RAR) and pay £85 costs and a £128 victim surcharge.

PC Michael Dunn, from Sussex Police’s Roads Policing Unit, slammed Tutt for his ‘off the chart’ cocaine samples.

He said: ‘The cocaine levels in Tutt’s samples were found to be off the chart and above the limit that the machine could test for.

‘He admitted driving the Audi but said he was not aware of his high-speed, and claimed he had only taken a ‘big fat line’ of cocaine after exiting the vehicle.

‘But he also said that because of a relationship break-up he had been taking large amounts of the class A drug every day for two weeks.

‘Drugs such as cocaine and cannabis can remain in the body for a long time after being taken, and continue to impact on reactions and ability to drive.

‘Drivers who have taken these drugs are putting other road users at risk.’

PC Dunn also warned of the dangers of taking drugs then driving.

He added: ‘This case shows how drugs stay in your system for a long time. It is not acceptable to take drugs and then get behind the wheel.

‘We are determined to catch offenders, and we are pleased that another motorist who posed a danger to the public has been taken off our roads.’

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