Watch: Tractor crashes into houses after collision with drug driver
Matthew Cumpsty drove a silver Mercedes E-Class through a red light into the path of a JCB tractor, Cheshire Police said.
The impact of the crash in Chester caused the tractor to veer off the road into a series of homes, leaving a trail of devastation.
Emergency services attended the collision in Green Lane on April 1 and found that two houses had suffered serious structural damage.
Footage of the crash shows the tractor driving straight into the front of a number of properties, causing at least two to partially collapse.
Police said it was 'pure chance' that there were no reports of injuries.
Cumpsty was arrested at the scene after failing a roadside drugs swipe.
One bad decision
A toxicology report later revealed that he was over the limit for benzoylecgonine (cocaine) with 65 micrograms per litre of blood, over the limit of 50mcg, the force said.
The 52-year-old, of Oldfield Drive, Great Boughton, appeared at Chester Crown Court where he was handed a 12-month community order including 200 hours community service.
He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £114 surcharge and received a 16-month driving ban.
He had earlier pleaded guilty to drug-driving and dangerous driving.
Pc Richard Phillips said: 'While Cumpsty has shown remorse for his actions, the impact of his actions that day were life-changing and it was pure chance that nobody suffered any serious injuries.
'As a result of one bad decision to get behind the wheel while under the influence, several families were left homeless and commuters travelling into Chester were left with serious disruption for several weeks while repair work was undertaken.
'In addition, Cumpsty is facing a lengthy driving ban. I hope that this ban will give him time to reflect on his actions that day.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
24 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
The thief next door: How mum-of-two posed as ordinary housewife living in quiet suburban road... while running £100k raid under the noses of her police officer neighbours
On the surface, she looks like any ordinary middle-aged mum. Living on a quiet cul-de-sac with her childhood sweetheart and two dogs, 55-year-old Jacqueline Fletcher is not who comes to mind when you picture your typical conniving fraudster. The mother-of-two was born and bred in the rural village of Brinsworth, Rotherham, and raised her daughters from the very same semi-detached dwelling she and her husband still reside in now. And despite living on the quiet street for over three decades - where the 'only thing you hear is a car door slamming' - neighbours say she 'kept to herself' and never struck them as having led a particularly luxurious lifestyle. So it came as an utter surprise to residents when it transpired that Fletcher had all along been running a £100k raid under their noses - with even her police neighbour being ignorant to her elaborate scheme. And to make matters even more shocking, the brazen criminal carried out her theft in plain sight at a police station. Despite being jailed for more than two years for the crime, the mother-of-two now faces more jail time if she does not cough up more than £100,000 in three months. Fletcher had been a South Yorkshire Police employee at the time and had stolen £98,500 while working at Attercliffe Police Station in Sheffield. In 2013, a large quantity of cash was seized as part of a police investigation and placed into the station's property store. Fletcher had been working as a team leader at the store and as part of her role was responsible for managing cash. Pictured: Fletcher's semi-detached house in the village of Brinsworth, Rotherham. A flower vase can be spotted in the window. The 55-year-old now has to pay up £108,000 for her crimes or risks facing another 12-month jail sentence She informed the officer in charge of the investigation that she had counted and banked the seized money in the force's account, but never did. Instead, she only put £1,500 into the force account and banked a staggering £98,500 into her own bank account. She then continued to work at the station with her crime going unnoticed, and subsequently left the force in 2015. It was only in 2017, when a Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) investigation connected to the seized money was requested, that it was noticed the cash was missing. An investigation was launched and in 2018 the mother-of-two was sentenced to two years and eight months after admitting to four counts of theft. She was also handed a confiscation order instructing her to pay back £47,000 under the POCA. But now, following a reconsideration of the original 2018 order by the Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Crime Unit (YHROCU), Fletcher has been ordered to pay back an additional £108,256.86. It comes after the YHROCU's Asset Confiscation Enforcement team reviewed and identified new assets and pursued outstanding orders. The unassuming mum now faces a 12-month prison sentence if she does not pay the additional order in three months. MailOnline visited the sleepy street where the woman lives. One neighbour said: 'She has two daughters. They are grown up. 'You just see her sometimes get into her car. 'Since she came back [from prison], she keeps herself to herself. 'They have got two dogs. I have seen her husband walking the dogs, but you never see her out walking. 'Her husband went to school with my son. I think her and her husband were going out together from school so they have always been together. 'It is very quiet around here. They have lived here a lot of years so we could not believe it - fancy robbing from the police.' The couple are understood to have two adult daughters who both live away from home. A vase of flowers sits in the front window of Fletcher's modest dwelling on the cul-de-sac. In the driveway is parked a 2018 model Mazda and 2016 Toyota hatchback. Neighbours say she has kept a low profile since her arrest. Another resident added: 'We have been here 32 years and had to wait for the builders to finish the house so they have lived here for many years. 'I think she was born and bred around here. It is not a big place. This street is a quiet place all the time. The only thing you ever heard is a car door slamming. 'You never see her and no one really talks about what happened. 'Her husband is really quiet. My partner give him a lift one and he never spoke all the way back. He doesn't talk to anyone.' Detective Superintendent James Axe, head of our Professional Standards Department, said: 'We expect all of our employees to behave professionally, honestly and with integrity. Fletcher showed none of these traits, behaving disgracefully and abusing the trust placed in her. 'The vital work carried out the YHROCU's ACE team has ensured that more of the money Fletcher stole will be recovered. The money secured through confiscation order helps fund community grant schemes and officer training allowing us to give back to our communities, as well as ensuring Fletcher does not continue to benefit from her offending.' Ramona Senior, head of operations at the YHROCU said: 'Our dedicated ACE team proactively reviews opportunities to revisit confiscation orders made under the Proceeds of Crime Act. 'We will relentlessly pursue outstanding unpaid orders and identify where new assets have been acquired that can be subject to confiscation, no matter who has acquired them. We also look at increasing the amount available for recovery if a criminal's circumstances have changed since the original confiscation order. 'The ACE team has recovered more than £10.3 million in criminal assets on behalf of our region's four police forces over the past two years.'
The Sun
24 minutes ago
- The Sun
Teen, 17, killed after e-bike smashes into wall in horror crash as schoolboy, 15, and two other children arrested
A 17-YEAR-old boy has been killed in a tragic e-bike crash, as cops arrest three other teenagers. Police were called to a street in Leicester just before 2am on Thursday, July 10. Officer discovered an e-bike had crashed into a wall on Gipsy Lane. Paramedics transported the 17-year-old rider to hospital, where he sadly died on Tuesday. Leicestershire Police arrested a 15-year-old boy, who they believe was also riding an e-bike at the time. The teenager was detained at the scene on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He has since been released under investigation. The force also arrested two teens, aged 17 and 16, on suspicion of perverting the course of justice. They have been released under investigation. "Detectives are continuing to appeal for anyone with information to come forward. Please visit and quote reference 25*401846. Alternatively call 101," said a spokesperson for the force. 1 is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.
BBC News
24 minutes ago
- BBC News
Arrests after man stabbed in chest and stomach in Ripley
Two people have been arrested after a man was stabbed in his chest and Police said officers were called to reports of a fight in Lyncroft Avenue, Ripley, just before 23:10 BST on victim, in his 20s, was found with injuries not believed to be life-threatening and taken to men aged 22 and 24 were arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm and remain in custody, police said. Officers are looking to speak to witnesses and anyone who may have information about the stabbing.
