A DRUG-driver was caught after he mounted a kerb and smashed into a pedestrian crossing.

Martyn Luffman was driving his Mercedes when he struck a traffic light in Eastleigh.

He was tested for drugs at the scene and found to have cocaine in his system.

But when quizzed by officers, the 27-year-old claimed the crash was caused by his passenger, who had knocked the gearbox into neutral.

Luffman was given a three year driving ban during a hearing at Southampton Magistrates’ Court.

The court was told how police attended the scene of the crash on Wide Lane, Eastleigh, on New Year’s Eve.

Prosecutor Liam Hunter said police arrived at the scene to find Luffman’s car had mounted the kerb and crashed into the post of a pedestrian signal.

Officers tested Luffman for drugs using a Drugwipe kit.

He was found to be over the limit for both cocaine and cocaine breakdown product, benzoylecgonine.

In mitigation, Nigel Cozens said Luffman was not at fault for the crash.

He said: “It has been accepted that the passenger knocked Luffman’s gear box into neutral, which caused the crash.”

Mr Cozens said Luffman was previously a heroin and crack cocaine user, but that he had limited his drug use to cocaine.

He said Luffman was “going through a rough patch” at the time, after a break-up, but was now drug free.

Mr Cozens accepted that Luffman faced a mandatory three year driving ban, having recently being convicted of another drug-driving charge.

Mr Cozens added that the two crashes had been a wake-up call to Mr Luffman, who builds skateboard parks for a living.

As well as a three year driving ban, magistrates also imposed a £380 fine.

Mr Luffman, of The Milburns, Timsbury, was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £38 victim surcharge.