Latest news with #Benzoylecgonine


Press and Journal
10-07-2025
- Press and Journal
Teen drug-driver pulled into pregnant woman's path on A96
A teenager who pulled into the path of a pregnant driver on the A96 was under the influence of drugs at the time. Fabian Malinowski failed to stop his car at Inverness' Barn Church Road junction, causing a crash with a vehicle doing 60mph and being driven by a mother-to-be. When police arrived at the crash scene, they noted Malinowski's glazed eyes and slurred speech and carried out a drugs wipe. It came back positive for cocaine. Malinowski, now 22, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court for sentencing having previously admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving as well as two drug-driving charges. Fiscal depute Pauline Gair told the court that it was around 8pm on January 14 of 2023 when Malinowski picked up a female front-seat passenger at her home in his white Vauxhall Astra. The pair had collected friends of Malinowski and travelled to Nairn and then back to Inverness, dropping them off before collecting another rear seat passenger. At the same time, a pregnant woman was travelling east on the A96, driving her partner and friends home from a night out in a VW Tiguan. On the approach to the Barn Church Road she spotted Malinowski's car travelling toward the A96. 'She believed the accused's vehicle would come to a stop as it was required to, so she continued travelling at 60mph,' Mrs Gair told the court. Malinowski's car, however, did not stop and 'drove into her path', resulting in a collision that activated both cars' airbags and caused substantial damage. Malinowski and his front-seat passenger were both knocked out by the impact. He was found in the driver's seat of the Astra with his seatbelt fastened. When approached by police officers, Malinowski's eyes were glazed and his speech was slurred. He 'kept asking if he had crashed'. His rear seat passenger was able to extract himself from the vehicle, but the female in the front seat had blood on her face and had suffered three broken bones in her pelvis. A number of the occupants of the other vehicle reported symptoms as a result of the crash and were taken to Raigmore Hospital, but were not seriously injured. The 26-week pregnant driver underwent an emergency scan as a result of the crash. The charge details that subsequent testing showed Malinowski to have 59 microgrammes of the cocaine metabolite Benzoylecgonine, and 37 microgrammes of methylamphetamine in his system. This exceeded the respective drug-drive limits of 50mcg for the former and 10mcg for the latter. Solicitor advocate Shahid Latif, for Malinowski, told the court that his client's behaviour at the time had been 'impulsive and reckless' – highlighting that Malinowski had lacked maturity and consequential thinking. He said: 'At the time of this offence he was 19 years old- he is now 22.' Mr Latif said Malinowski had since 'shied away from the use of intoxicants' and had 'expressed the appropriate sentiments'. He said: 'He has come to realise, frankly, that he is fortunate that the consequence of his conduct wasn't much more serious than it was.' Sheriff David Harvie told Malinowski: 'You are incredibly fortunate that you are in this court and not in the High Court and that no one was killed. 'Driving as you did that day, under the influence, is of the utmost seriousness.' 'People were seriously injured and, as I said, you were very lucky that they weren't killed.' He placed Malinowski on a community payback order as a direct alternative to custody. The order requires that he complete two years of social work supervision and 300 hours of unpaid work in the community. He is further required to submit to an electronic curfew to remain within his home address from 7pm to 7am for three months. Sheriff Harvie also banned Malinowski from the roads for three years, after which he will need to sit and pass the extended test before getting back behind the wheel.


The Herald Scotland
07-07-2025
- The Herald Scotland
Former Celtic and Scotland footballer caught drug driving
The 27-year-old was driving a red Ford Focus near Avenue End Road. When she stopped, officers noted her to be nervous and fidgety. They instructed her to give a sample of saliva, which she did shortly after 2pm. This was positive for cocaine, so Whyte was arrested. She was taken to Coatbridge police station. Around 2.43pm, the Hogganfield resident also provided a blood sample, which was sent for analysis. On July 8, 2024, the result came back and was also positive for cocaine. READ NEXT: Seven cases from Glasgow Sheriff Court this week Whyte appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court today, after she pleaded guilty to driving while the amount of cocaine in her blood was 32 microgrammes in one litre of blood. She also admitted to having driven while the level of Benzoylecgonine - a primary metabolite of cocaine - was 800 microgrammes in one litre of blood. These are both over the legal limit. At the hearing, Whyte's lawyer said: "Addiction is a fairly significant issue. She was a very talented footballer, representing Celtic and Scotland, before she has a serious injury. "That sent her into chaos. This is a bad coping mechanism." Sheriff Patricia Pryce said: "She has been clean for some time. There is no scope for addiction support." The solicitor agreed. Sheriff Pryce told Whyte: "It's by the skin of your teeth that I am able to deal with this without custody. "I appreciate you had a difficult time but you're putting road users at risk when you do this." She was sentenced to 200 hours of unpaid work, to be completed within eight months and disqualified from driving for three years.

The Hindu
04-06-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Rabada tested positive for cocaine, says South African testing agency
Kagiso Rabada's month-long suspension after he failed a drug test was because the fast bowler tested positive for cocaine, the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) has said. Rabada, who was with the Gujarat Titans (GT) when he returned home from the Indian Premier League in April, admitted failing a drug test and apologised for his actions. The 30-year-old, ranked number two in the Test bowler rankings, said he had returned an adverse analytical finding for the use of a recreational drug. Rabada had been tested in January when he was playing in the SA20 for MI Cape Town and SAIDS said in a report published this week that it detected the presence of Benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine. Rabada returned from his suspension to play two matches for GT, which finished third in the standings. He is due to spearhead South Africa's bowling attack in the World Test Championship final at Lord's when they face Australia from June 11-15.

SowetanLIVE
04-06-2025
- Health
- SowetanLIVE
Proteas star Rabada tested positive for cocaine, says Saids testing agency
Kagiso Rabada's month-long suspension after he failed a drug test was because the fast bowler tested positive for cocaine, the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (Saids) said. Rabada, who was with the Gujarat Titans when he returned home from the Indian Premier League in April, admitted failing a drug test and apologised for his actions. The 30-year-old, ranked No 2 in the Test bowler rankings, said he had returned an adverse analytical finding for the use of a recreational drug. Rabada had been tested in January when he was playing in the SA20 for MI Cape Town and Saids said in a report published this week that it detected the presence of Benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine. Rabada returned from his suspension to play two matches for Gujarat, who finished third in the standings. He is due to spearhead South Africa's bowling attack in the World Test Championship final at Lord's when they face Australia from June 11 to 15. Reuters


The Advertiser
04-06-2025
- Health
- The Advertiser
SA pace bowler Rabada tested positive for cocaine
Kagiso Rabada's one-month suspension after he failed a drug test was because the fast bowler tested positive for cocaine, the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport has said. Rabada, who was with the Gujarat Titans when he returned home from the Indian Premier League in April, admitted failing a drug test and apologised for his actions. The 30-year-old, ranked No.2 in the Test bowler rankings, said he had returned an adverse analytical finding for the use of a recreational drug. Rabada had been tested in January when he was playing in the SA20 for MI Cape Town and SAIDS said in a report published this week it had detected the presence of Benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine. Rabada returned from his suspension to play two matches for Gujarat, who finished third in the standings. He is due to spearhead South Africa's bowling attack in the World Test Championship final at Lord's where they face Australia from June 11-15. Kagiso Rabada's one-month suspension after he failed a drug test was because the fast bowler tested positive for cocaine, the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport has said. Rabada, who was with the Gujarat Titans when he returned home from the Indian Premier League in April, admitted failing a drug test and apologised for his actions. The 30-year-old, ranked No.2 in the Test bowler rankings, said he had returned an adverse analytical finding for the use of a recreational drug. Rabada had been tested in January when he was playing in the SA20 for MI Cape Town and SAIDS said in a report published this week it had detected the presence of Benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine. Rabada returned from his suspension to play two matches for Gujarat, who finished third in the standings. He is due to spearhead South Africa's bowling attack in the World Test Championship final at Lord's where they face Australia from June 11-15. Kagiso Rabada's one-month suspension after he failed a drug test was because the fast bowler tested positive for cocaine, the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport has said. Rabada, who was with the Gujarat Titans when he returned home from the Indian Premier League in April, admitted failing a drug test and apologised for his actions. The 30-year-old, ranked No.2 in the Test bowler rankings, said he had returned an adverse analytical finding for the use of a recreational drug. Rabada had been tested in January when he was playing in the SA20 for MI Cape Town and SAIDS said in a report published this week it had detected the presence of Benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine. Rabada returned from his suspension to play two matches for Gujarat, who finished third in the standings. He is due to spearhead South Africa's bowling attack in the World Test Championship final at Lord's where they face Australia from June 11-15.