A DRUG-DRIVER who was left in a coma after a serious crash thinks a deer caused the incident after reoccurring nightmares.

Matthew Morris, of Russ Avenue, Faringdon, was more than four times over the drug-drive limit when his Mitsubishi Outlander crashed into a lamppost on the A420, ‘five minutes away from his house’, on August 17.

At Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Thursday last week, the 42-year-old stood in the dock and admitted having 206mcg of benzoylecgonine – the by-product of cocaine – in a litre of blood, above the legal limit of 50mcg.

The court had heard Morris was raced to the John Radcliffe Hospital with serious injuries after the 4am crash and emergency services closed the road.

He was put into an induced coma for two weeks and is ‘lucky to be alive’.

Defending William Alexander said he had ‘no memory’ of what happened ‘because of his injuries’ but says he had used the cocaine on the Friday night – two days before the incident.

He said that Morris thinks he crashed the car when he was trying to avoid an animal, explaining: “He thinks that because he had reoccurring nightmares of a deer coming into the road.

“He was in an induced coma for two weeks and he still has serious difficulties walking.

“He was lucky to make it out alive.”

Sentencing, the magistrates said: “Seems like you’re pretty lucky to be here at all.

“But I am sorry we are going to have to add to your woes.”

He was banned for driving for 12 months and was given the ‘minimum fine possible’ of £120 because of his early guilty plea.

Morris will also pay £84 in court costs and a victim surcharge of £34.

The total costs add up to £238.