Serial drug-driver caught with cocaine in his system after police chase through South Yorkshire

A serial drug-driving offender who was caught with cocaine in his system has finally been jailed after he sparked a high-speed police pursuit.
By Jon Cooper
Published 31st May 2022, 11:49 BST
Updated 31st May 2022, 19:05 BST
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Sheffield Crown Court heard on May 30 how Richard Matthews, aged 42, of Waverley Avenue, in Kiveton Park, Rotherham, near Sheffield, committed two lots of drug-driving offences before he was caught by police drug-driving for a third time during a police pursuit while he was banned from the road.

Beverley Wright, prosecuting, said Matthews was spotted by police on Worksop Road, in Swallownest, in a Vauxhall Astra, before he sped away and triggered a high-speed pursuit lasting nearly three minutes.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Ms Wright added Matthews mounted a pavement, narrowly missed another vehicle, failed to give way and reached speeds of up to 90mph before he was chased on foot and caught by police after abandoning his vehicle.

Pictured is serial drug-driving offender Richard Matthews, aged 42, of Waverley Avenue, at Kiveton Park, Sheffield, who has been sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court to 12 months of custody and banned from driving for two years and five months after he admitted dangerous driving and drug-driving while he was banned from the road.Pictured is serial drug-driving offender Richard Matthews, aged 42, of Waverley Avenue, at Kiveton Park, Sheffield, who has been sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court to 12 months of custody and banned from driving for two years and five months after he admitted dangerous driving and drug-driving while he was banned from the road.
Pictured is serial drug-driving offender Richard Matthews, aged 42, of Waverley Avenue, at Kiveton Park, Sheffield, who has been sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court to 12 months of custody and banned from driving for two years and five months after he admitted dangerous driving and drug-driving while he was banned from the road.

The judge, Recorder Ian Mullarkey, told Matthews: “It was a three-minute pursuit involving you driving in a very dangerous way at high speeds.”

He added: “You said you drove away in a moment of madness. This was a persistent piece of bad driving.”

Matthews pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, driving without insurance and exceeding the drug-drive limit for a cocaine derivative after the incident in October 2021.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The defendant also pleaded guilty to one count of exceeding the drug-drive limit for cocaine, and driving without insurance from July 2020, on Woodhouse Road, Sheffield, and to a further count of exceeding the drug-drive limit for cocaine, driving without insurance and without a licence from November 2020, in Chesterfield.

Aaron Dinnes, defending, said: “With the dangerous driving he simply panicked and drove off because he knew he would get into a lot of trouble.”

Matthews’ offending was linked to using drugs and he is on a waiting list to get help to address his problems, according to Mr Dinnes.

Mr Dinnes added: “Although the offences are serious and although there are a great number of them he is genuinely remorseful for them and genuinely wants to use them as a turning point in his life.”

Recorder Mullarkey sentenced Matthews to 12 months of custody and disqualified him from driving for two years and five months of custody.