A MAN who had taken drugs after being 'dumped' by his fiancée crashed his car on the M6.

Thirty-year-old Michael Paul Chamberlain found himself in court for the first time after an incident on November 7, 2021.

Prosecutor Pam Ward told magistrates in Carlisle: “At about 6.50am police were made aware of a road traffic collision on the M6 southbound between Todhills and Junction 44.

“Police attended the scene and found a Volvo V70 estate on the nearside verge.

"It appeared to have collided with the motorway crash barrier, causing damage to the barrier and vehicle.”

Chamberlain was present and admitted he had been the driver. He believed he had encountered standing water on the road but didn’t know exactly how the crash had occurred.

“He appeared disorientated and his speech was slurred, added the prosecutor.

An initial drug test gave a positive indication for cocaine and Chamberlain was arrested.

Further tests showed the levels of a cocaine breakdown product and the main psychoactive component of cannabis in his system were above the legal limits.

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In court, an obviously distressed Chamberlain admitted two counts of driving with the proportion of a specified controlled drug above the limit.

Chris Toms, defending, confirmed the defendant was a man with no previous convictions who had entered his guilty pleas at the first available opportunity. He had been fully co-operative with police in the aftermath of the crash.

“Very simply, he had had a very bad time of it,” said Mr Toms. “He recently had been, for want of a better word, ‘dumped’ by his fiancée.”

In addition, he had been in a job he was desperate to leave and which was affecting his health. “It is unprecedented in his life,” said Mr Toms of Chamberlain’s offending.

“He is very shocked by the whole experience. He is very emotional and very upset.”

Chamberlain, previously of Greenmill Road, Longtown, had since secured new employment with which he was happy, and which offered promotion prospects. He gave his new address as staff accommodation at the Low Wood Spa and Resort, near Windermere.

Magistrates fined Chamberlain £350 and imposed an 18-month driving ban.

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