THE driver of an Audi which was involved in a serious crash with a motorcycle during the summer had taken cocaine in the days before the collision.

Steven Holland, of Steer Road in Swanage, was not found to be responsible for the crash in Ferry Road, Studland on August 22.

However, when police arrived at the scene of the collision, which happened outside the Knoll House Hotel, the 55-year-old was given a roadside drugs test.

It revealed Holland had taken the class A drug. Later tests at the police station found he had 136 micrograms of benzoylecgonine, the main metabolite of cocaine, per litre of his blood. The limit is 50.

Officers also discovered his driving licence had been revoked in March 2011 due to his bipolar disorder.

On Friday, Holland appeared at Poole Magistrates' Court to admit driving with the proportion of a specified controlled drug above the limit and driving after revocation of his driving licence on account of disability.

Prosecuting, Lee Turner said both Holland's silver Audi S8 and the black Suzuki motorcycle were travelling in the same direction in the moments before the crash.

The biker, Bournemouth man David Farmer, was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries. He remains in a critical condition.

His pillion passenger, a 17-year-old girl from Austria, was also taken to hospital with a fracture to her arm and leg. She has since been able to return home.

Mitigating, David Hurley said Holland was issued with a licence in 1980, and drove without incident for 31 years before it was revoked by the DVLA.

He has since controlled his bipolar disorder with medication, and had applied for his licence to be returned two months before the crash, Mr Hurley said.

"He was coming off the chain ferry. The motorcyclist was in front and the Audi followed at a distance," he said.

"The motorcycle then slows to around 10 miles per hour.

"It pulls to the left hand side opposite the hotel and Mr Holland decided he would overtake.

"It was a proper overtaking procedure at speeds of only around 20mph. Suddenly, the biker turns across his path and there was an impact.

"The motorcyclist was trying to turn into the hotel."

Both Mr Farmer and his pillion passenger were employed at the hotel. The general manager declined to speak to the Daily Echo.

"[Holland thought] 'I will get my licence, it'll be ok' and drove the motor vehicle on that day," the solicitor told magistrates.

"He accepts he had taken some cocaine recreationally two or three days prior."

Holland has no previous convictions.

He was fined £75 for each of the charges and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a £30 victim surcharge.

He was also disqualified from driving for 14 months.