The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A driver caught with cocaine and cannabis in his system twice in six weeks has been warned that he faces a suspended jail sentence.
Lynn magistrates heard on Monday that Tyler James was first stopped by police in Queen Mary Road, Gaywood, Norfolk, just after 1am on August 12 last year.
He failed a roadside Drugwipe and was arrested. Evidential blood tests showed he had more than twice the limit for derivatives of cocaine and cannabis in his system.
Prosecutor Stacie Cossey told the court that just after 2pm on September 25 a police check on the Vauxhall Zafira which James was driving in Gunthorpe Road, Sutton Bridge, revealed that it was insured to a female.
James, of Anne Road, Sutton Bridge, again failed a drug wipe. This time tests showed that he was ten times the limit for the cocaine derivative and almost twice the limit for the cannabis derivative.
This week James (25) pleaded guilty to four charges of drug-driving and a single count of having no insurance.
In mitigation, Ruth Johnson told the bench: “He was going through an extremely difficult period at the time and didn’t give much thought as to what the drugs would do as to driving the vehicle.
“After the second stop he took the decision to stop all drug use.”
Miss Johnson said prescribed drugs for depression and anxiety had little effect on James so he chose to “self-medicate” with cannabis and cocaine.
Unemployed James – a former team leader at a pub – was given an interim driving ban before a pre-sentencing report is heard on February 8.
Bench chairman Bill Hush said: “We’re very concerned that a high level [of drugs] was found in Mr James’ body. And there were two on each occasion. For that reason we believe the custody threshold has been crossed. We have heard how he is trying to improve himself and rehabilitate himself and we would be content to suspend that sentence.”
