A man was caught drug driving by police the day after his parents bought him a new van so he was ‘more employable’, a court heard.
Declan Tinson, 23, appeared before Swindon Magistrates’ Court today charged with driving a motor vehicle whilst over the specified benzoylecgonine (cocaine breakdown product) limit.
Crown prosecutor Keith Ballinger said the defendant, of The Halt, Outmarsh, was seen by police officers driving his Ford Transit in the Chippenham area at around 3pm on 9 August last year.
They noticed his vehicle cross the centre white line on several occasions, which prompted them to pull it over in Queens Crescent, only a stone’s throw from a primary school.
Tinson provided a positive reading for cocaine on a roadside drugs wipe.
He was arrested and taken to custody where he provided a sample of blood for evidential analysis. The reading was 88 micrograms of drug per litre of blood – the legal limit is 50.
Defending, Gordon Hotson told the court his client had taken cocaine in the week running up to the incident. He said Tinson had been made redundant, was without transport and his relationship with his partner had broken down resulting in him having to move out of their home.
To enhance his employability, his mother and step-father purchased him the Ford Transit, which he collected on 8 August. He later found work as a general labourer and bricklayer.
The next day, on 9 August, he was on his way to meet friends in Chippenham when he was stopped by the police. He was spotted in the back streets, the police followed the van and stopped it.
“He had no idea a metabolite of the drug would have been still in his system [after several days]”, Mr Hotson commented.
Adding: “The loss of his licence will result in the loss of his job. He will be unemployed from today.
“He will have to go back to square one and seek employment without transport.
“He is currently living with his mother and step-father who are supporting him.”
Magistrates told Tinson he is “going to learn a harsh lesson today”, before disqualifying him from driving for one year. He was also fined £150, told to pay £85 costs and a £34 victim surcharge.
