Drug-driver caught by police with cannabis and cocaine traces in his system

A drug-driver who was caught by police with cannabis and cocaine traces in his system while driving without a licence or insurance has been brought to justice.

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Tuesday, March 21, how Joseph Shaw, 20, of Commercial Road, Bulwell, Nottingham, was followed and stopped by police on Bonsal Drive, Somercotes.

Prosecuting solicitor Rod Chapman said: “An officer noticed a Vauxhall motor car being driven in the Somercotes area.

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“He followed and stopped the vehicle and after doing so he noticed the driver climbing over the passenger seat and getting out of the vehicle and he ran away.

“The officer gave chase and caught up with the driver and there was a brief conversation and the driver said he had run away because he had no licence or insurance.”

Shaw was also found to be possessing £50 of cannabis, according to Mr Chapman, and a roadside drug test provided a positive result for cannabis in his system and a blood test was also taken at the police station.

Tests revealed that Shaw had 5.8microgrammes of THC, which is a cannabis metabolite, when the limit is two microgrammes.

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The defendant also had a cocaine metabolite reading from his blood which was nearly three times over the legal limit.

Shaw pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence and without insurance, and he admitted having cannabis and cocaine metabolite traces in his system while driving.

Defence solicitor Robert Sowter said Shaw has made full admissions and was co-operative with the police.

Mr Sowter added Shaw explained that traces of cocaine can stay in the body for the some time and traces can simply indicate drug use from quite some time prior to the time when Shaw was arrested.

Magistrates sentenced Shaw to 12 month community order with 140 hours of unpaid work. He was banned from driving for 24 months and must pay an £85 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

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