Worthing dangerous drug-driver Richard Kinyua jailed

Richard Kinyua drove through busy streets in Worthing during a school run.

He collided with several cars and failed to stop or leave any details for motorists.

When one motorist confronted him, his speech was slurred and he seemed “vacant and drowsy”.

Later, he was reported to the police, who stopped him driving at speed in a Vauxhall Astra.

The 29-year-old tested positive for cocaine use, and was so high he could not remember why he had even been out driving in the first place.

At Lewes Crown Court he was jailed for a total of 14 months.

Lewes Crown Court.

Gino Connor, prosecuting, said the mayhem unfolded on September 29 last year in Acacia Avenue.

Parents were busy dropping off their children at the nearby Durrington Infant and Junior Schools.

Mr Connor told the court how one mum was driving when her vehicle was struck from behind.

“The defendant’s car collided with the bumper of her vehicle, pushing her vehicle sideways into another vehicle like a dodgem car,” Mr Connor said. “As he then went past, she described how he was “not there”, he seemed under the influence of alcohol or drugs.”

Richard Kinyua had taken cocaine

Kinyua drove off, and later crashed into other vehicles in Littlehampton Road when he was driving on the wrong side of the road.

Another motorist said he looked “vacant and drowsy”. When confronted he replied: “Sorry I was just trying to overtake you.”

Mr Connor said: “It was a prolonged, persistent and deliberate course of bad driving.”

David Bathurst, defending, said his client cannot remember the incident or why he was behind the wheel.

His Honour Judge Stephen Mooney said: “In September last year parents in Worthing were taking their children to school, no doubt the children were excited about their day in school.

“You were on bail awaiting to be sentenced for consuming class A drugs.

Drug-driver Richard Kinyua was caught

“All you cared about was drugs. This was the most cataclysmic of selfish acts when you decided to get behind the wheel, despite the fact the drugs had rendered you incapable of even remembering it.

“It is difficult to understand your selfishness. It is a miracle you are not before me for having killed or seriously injured yourself, a child or adult. It was one of the worst pieces of dangerous driving I have seen for a long time.”

Kinyua, of The Avenue, Goring, admitted dangerous driving, and failing to stop after a road accident.

He is now behind bars for 14 months, and was banned from driving for two years and seven months. If he wants to get behind the wheel again, he will have to take an extended retest.