A DRIVER took so much cocaine that his blood sample was beyond the range a laboratory machine could test for.

Anthony Tutt was spotted driving his Audi A3 in Friston by officers, but drove away at excess speed.

Officers later saw the vehicle in Eastbourne before it again drove away at high-speed.

The 23-year-old was traced back to his home in Kings Drive, Eastbourne, where he was arrested after a DrugWipe test indicated he was positive for cocaine.

Tutt admitted he was the driver and claimed he had taken a “big fat line” of cocaine after getting out of the vehicle.

But he later told an officer he was taking a large amount of the Class A drug every day.

He gave a sample which was positive for 183 microgrammes (mcg) of cocaine per litre of blood.

The legal limit is 10mcg of cocaine per litre of blood.

Meanwhile, the chemical breakdown of cocaine, called benzoylecgonine, was tested in Tutt’s sample. The legal limit for this element is 50mcg per litre of blood.

When Tutt’s sample was tested, it was more than 800mcg per litre of his blood.

Tutt, unemployed, was charged with drug-driving and driving without due care and attention and appeared at Hastings Magistrates’ Court, where he admitted the charges.

Tutt was sentenced to 200 hours of unpaid work as part of a six-month suspended prison sentence.

He must also complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement sessions, and pay £85 costs and a £128 victim surcharge.

The court disqualified Tutt from driving for three years, and ordered him to complete an extended retest before he is allowed to get his licence back.

Police Constable Michael Dunn said the cocaine levels in Tutt’s samples were “off the chart and above the limit that the machine could test for”.

“He admitted driving the Audi but said he was not aware of his high-speed, and claimed he had only taken a ‘big fat line’ of cocaine after exiting the vehicle,” he said.

“But he also said that because of a relationship break-up he had been taking large amounts of the Class A drug every day for two weeks.

“Drugs such as cocaine and cannabis can remain in the body for a long time after being taken, and continue to impact on a reactions and ability to drive.

“Drivers who have taken these drugs are putting other road users at risk.”