A driver who was under the influence of drugs when he seriously injured a child pedestrian in Gillingham has been sentenced to prison.
The incident occurred on the evening of June 24, 2022, when a motorist driving a Seat Leon on Woodlands Road exceeded the 30mph speed limit. The driver ran a red light at the junction with Cornwallis Avenue and struck a 10-year-old boy who was crossing the road. The child sustained serious head injuries and was airlifted to hospital.
The driver, Danny Butt, was arrested at the scene and a blood sample analysis later revealed the presence of cannabis and cocaine, exceeding the legal limits. The 42-year-old driver from Brixton, London, was charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving and pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court. He was sentenced on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, to three years and 10 months in prison. Upon release, he will be disqualified from driving for three years and must take an extended retest.
Serious collision investigator, Detective Constable Lee Berridge, said:
‘Butt got behind the wheel of a car knowing he was unfit to drive due to his misuse of controlled drugs. He would have realised he posed a risk to other road users and pedestrians but proceeded, nonetheless, to drive in a very dangerous manner. Furthermore, Butt intentionally tried to beat a red traffic light and this reckless decision has altered the path of a young child’s future.
‘His victim suffered appalling injuries and is gradually recovering whilst making adjustment to his day to day life and receiving ongoing medical assessments. Butt is now quite rightly in prison and should be thoroughly ashamed of his actions.’