'Fortunate' ketamine driver smashed head-on into bus while trying to outrun police in Castleford

Members of the public were so concerned by Sean Waite’s erratic driving in the VW Golf on Redhill Drive in Castleford that they called 999 on the morning of October 12, 2021.

Patrolling officers spotted the car on Ferrybridge Road and turned to follow him, activating their blue lights. But with Waite accelerating away, they held back and switched their lights off because they were so concerned about his manner of driving.

He was seen to overtake cars on the wrong side of the road after turning onto Pontefract Road before colliding head on with a single-decker bus coming the opposite way.

Prosecutor Beatrice Allsop told Leeds Crown Court said Waite’s car “bounced” off the bus. Both airbags were deployed in the Golf, the bus was fortunately not carrying passengers at the time and the driver was unhurt.

Waite tried to flee on foot but was wrestled to the ground by the arriving officers. The officer said his eyes were glazed and he was slurring. He tested negative for alcohol and no drugs test was available at the time. He had four small bags of ketamine on him.

He was interviewed but gave no comments. The 28-year-old later admitted dangerous driving. Waite has two previous convictions, including dangerous driving from 2018.

Mitigating, Michael Devlin said Waite admitted he was using drugs at the time, particularly LSD and ketamine to help him cope with the loss of a close relative. He has since abstained from drugs and alcohol.

Mr Devlin said Waite, of Kingsway, Pontefract, was working hard as a builder and added: “He has made considerable efforts to change his life around.”

Judge Tom Bayliss KC quizzed both the prosecution and defence barristers as to why it had taken so long to reach court, but neither could offer an explanation.

As a result, he opted not to jail Waite, giving him a six-month sentence, suspended for two years, 200 hours of unpaid work and a two-year driving ban.

He said: “You thoroughly deserve to go to prison – had I dealt with you a month or two after the incident, you would have gone to prison. Count yourself very fortunate indeed.”