A man was caught driving whilst nearly 14 times over the ketamine limit, a court heard.
26-year-old Sam Parrington appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court today charged with drug driving and driving without insurance.
Crown prosecutor Kate Prince said Wiltshire Police were contacted by a member of the public reporting their concerns about a male in a BMW driving erratically at around 10.30pm on 14 October last year.
They told of how they witnessed the vehicle travelling very slowly and moving from lane to lane – including on the wrong side of the road at points.
Officers responded to the 999 call and located the silver BMW 118D pootling along Queens Drive, a dual carriageway, at around 15mph. It was also seen to cross the white lines before being pulled over in Whitbourne Avenue.
Appearing confused and unaware of his surroundings, Parrington was arrested and taken into Swindon custody where he provided a sample of blood for testing.
The sample tested positive for 276 micrograms of drug per litre of blood. The legal limit is 20 micrograms.
Emma Hillier, defending, told the court her client was previously a heavy ketamine user but stopped following his arrest for drug driving.
She said the defendant lives at home with his partner who has mental health problems, with a baby due at the end of October. He is unable to work due to suffering from epilepsy and brain damage as a result of a car accident in 2016.
It was also said that Parrington was “barely surviving on benefits”, leading to district judge Joanna Dickens questioning how he could afford to buy drugs.
“I don’t know where you get the money for ketamine if you can’t survive at the moment”, she commented. Adding: “I guess you find it when you’re on drugs.”
Labelling his drug driving as “really really really serious because you can kill people”, judge Dickens imposed a 20-month driving disqualification and a fine of £200.
He was also told to pay £85 costs and a £34 victim surcharge.
