Cocaine-fuelled Horndean van driver struck child in road traffic collision leaving victim needing 'life support machine and plastic surgery', court hears

Drug-driver Andrew Wingham, 47, was in the dock at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court following the incident when he was driving his Ford Transit on June 10 in Murray Road, Waterlooville. The episode has since caused ‘great animosity’ in the community with the threat of ‘further offences’ and a warning from prosecutor Graham Heath: ‘There will be arrests.’

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Wingham, of Portsmouth Road, admitted a charge of driving while having a controlled drug of Benzoylecgonine - the main metabolite of cocaine - above the limit. He had 141 microgrammes of the substance in his blood when the limit is 50.

Mr Heath said there had been a ‘road traffic collision’ that involved a victim: ‘A young child was hit (by the vehicle) and suffered not only physically but mentally with a number of behavioural issues as a result of what the child has gone through.’

The prosecutor went on to say it was ‘not clear’ what the injuries suffered were with no information disclosed to the court until just before the hearing by the child’s father. According to what he was told, Mr Heath said the ‘child was on a life support machine and had a bleed on the brain’.

But there were also reportedly other injuries which led to the child needing plastic surgery to his chin, a small area of his ear and his left ankle which was carried out at Salisbury General Hospital after the child was transferred. In total, the infant spent five weeks in hospital.

Mr Heath called for an adjournment of the case to obtain medical evidence to ‘allow proper consideration’. But referring to the incident itself, Mr Heath added: ‘It’s clear (Wingham) ingested cocaine prior to the incident.’

The court heard since the event there had been a ‘great deal of animosity in the community’ with civil litigation also on the agenda. ‘There are allegations of unpleasantness and things have been reported to police,’ Mr Heath said. ‘If things do continue in the way reported there will be further offences.’

He added: ‘Various allegations have been raised and on the face of it serious ones. I hope sense prevails. If things continue there will be arrests.’

Magistrates imposed an interim six-month disqualification and adjourned the case until June 15. Wingham was granted unconditional bail. The presiding magistrate said: ‘Any offending from any party will be taken very seriously by the court. I appreciate it might be difficult but everyone needs to maintain their cool.’

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