Man that crashed in residential Leeds area spared jail so he can try to fix 'extraordinary' cocaine addiction

Judge Penelope Belcher allowed David Kerr, 33, of Parkway Towers, Foundry Mill Drive, Seacroft, to leave Leeds Crown Court and focus on his rehabilitation instead of going to custody.

The court was shown dashcam footage of a police chase around Cross Gates on April 22, 2022 that ended with Kerr crashing into a parked car in a residential area.

After the clip finished, Judge Belcher said: “So it’s a short-lived, entirely stupid, major crash.”

After his arrest, Kerr was charged with dangerous driving, driving without insurance and driving while disqualified. He admitted the offences during his police interview and arrived at crown court for his sentencing on Thursday with a bag of his belongings, expecting to be sent to jail.

The court heard that Kerr had 14 previous convictions and that after his last conviction in August he was sentenced to a drug rehabilitation programme to cope with his “extraordinary” cocaine addiction.

The court was told that Kerr had taken the substance since he was a teenager and that “at his peak” he would consume between 15 and 20 bags in a day.

To this Judge Belcher said: “How is he still walking?”

The court heard that since taking part in the rehabilitation programme, which is the first time he has had professional assistance, Kerr was now having one bag a day.

Considering whether to send him to jail, Judge Belcher said: “If he goes in he won’t get drugs work and will come out and be back at square one.”

She opted to defer the sentence until May 2, saying that if there had not been “appropriate progress” then he will be sent to prison.

Judge Belcher told him: “But for the magistrate’s order there is no doubt that you would go to custody.

"Understand it is not only in your interest but for the public at large to get you off drugs.

"(In this case) you could have killed somebody.”