A WOMAN on a school run turned right after indicating properly, but was hit by a drug driver who overtook her.

Stephen Lippitt accepted that he had misjudged the situation and said that he was late for work.

A court was told that a test for alcohol was negative but he was found to have a metabolite of cocaine in his blood from the night before.

Lippitt, 37, admitted driving a Peugeot 307 in Station Road, Bangor-on-Dee on September 19 when he had 624 milligrammes of BZE in his blood compared to the legal limit of 50. He also did not have insurance.

He was banned from driving for 26 months at North East Wales Magistrates Court and was placed on a 12 month community order under which he must carry out 170 hours unpaid work.

Lippitt was ordered to pay £85 costs and an £85 surcharge.

District judge Gwyn Jones said that Lippitt was under the influence of drugs from the night before and overtook in in-appropriate circumstances.

There had been a high speed collision and he had placed members of the public at risk.

Prosecutor Rhian Jones told the Mold court the collision occurred at 8.25am on the school run when a woman was driving with three children.

She slowed down and signalled to turn right but as she did so Lippitt attempted to overtake her and collided with the off-side, causing damage.

At the scene Lippitt immediately said it was his fault, that he was driving too fast and that he was late for work.

There had been substantial damage but the other driver had to claim off her insurance because Lippitt was not insured.

She needed physio and one of the children also had a painful neck and shoulder.

Stephen Edwards, defending, said his client was a man of good character who had held a clean driving licence since his early 20s.

He was deeply ashamed of his behaviour and accepted he misjudged the situation.

Lippitt, formerly of Weston Rhyn but now of Cherry Tree Drive in St Martin’s, Oswestry, overtook a vehicle as it turned right ahead of him and it was compounded by the drug in his blood.

It had been a considerable warning to him.

Lippitt, said Mr Edwards, was at a low ebb at the time and had taken drugs the night before.

He had been married for 15 years and had three children himself but unfortunately his marriage had broken up.

However, he now had accommodation, had regular access to his children and he was employed by his father-in-law in Chester as a labourer.