A drug-dealing dangerous driver from Gloucester has walked free from court after telling a judge he hasn’t taken drugs for six months.
Troy O’Loughlan was caught with 19 cling film wraps of cocaine on June 26 last year and admitted possession of a class A drug with intent to supply.
But the 23-year old from Percy Street drove dangerously along the streets of Gloucester on December 28 while he was on bail for the drug offences.
He sped down the wrong side of Eastern Avenue, forcing a pedestrian to leap out of the way and came to a halt after smashing into two cars.
But he fled from the scene and pleaded not guilty at court in April this year until the last minute.
He had his sentencing deferred until a hearing at Gloucester Crown Court last week.
Prosecutor James Tucker told Judge Ian Lawrie QC that he had taken his then girlfriend's Vauxhall Astra and driven on 'treacherous' roads following bad weather, dangerously.
“At 9.15pm he was speeding on Eastern Avenue, Gloucester, with no lights on,” he said.
“He drove on the wrong side of the road, mounted the pavement, a pedestrian had to leap out of the way.
“He collided with a Citroen, and continued.
“After perhaps two miles, he lost control completely and on Malmesbury Road, he mounted the kerb, and smashed in to a BMW.
“He ran off and left keys in the ignition,” Mr Tucker said, adding that 'open bottles of alcohol' were found in the car.
Mr Tucker said that O'Loughlan had denied being the driver in police interview and pleaded not guilty at court.
At a previous hearing when he changed his plea to guilty, Judge Lawrie called him an 'idiot and a coward'.
Mr Tucker said O'Loughlan had never passed a test and had eight previous convictions for 11 offences.
Judge Lawrie described his record as: “lots of irritating, low grade, anti-social offending.”
Sarah Jenkins told the judge that sentence had been deferred in April, on the condition that he maintain work, stable accommodation, and provide evidence through drug tests that he had stayed clean.
“I have one difficulty,” the solicitor said, “the lab test results have not yet come back.”
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She set out difficulty that O'Loughlan had getting in the results back in time.
While it was suggested the case could be adjourned, Judge Lawrie decided instead he would hear evidence from O'Loughlan rather than wait for the lab results saying: “Let's see if we can short circuit this.”
O'Loughlan gave evidence on oath that he had not taken any drugs since sentence was deferred in April, and the judge was satisfied.
He said O'Loughlan had 'a rather anarchic life which is certainly irritating.'
The judge ruled: “He has honoured the deferment,” and imposed a community order for 18 months with 100 hours of community service for the dangerous driving and disqualified him for 18 months with an extended re-test to be taken.
For the hard drug dealing offence O'Loughlan was given a two-year jail term suspended for 24 months with a Thinking Skills programme requirement.
He was also ordered to pay £640 in court costs and surcharges with six months to pay.
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The judge warned O'Loughlan: “If you breach it I will send you to prison.
“I am reasonably confident that will not happen.”
