Alnwick drug driver banned

Reece Graham, of Windsor Gardens, pleaded guilty to the offence at Berwick Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

The 21-year-old also admitted possession of cocaine, a class A drug.

Magistrates heard that police officers stopped the defendant while driving a Skoda Fabia on July 23 last year.

James Long, prosecuting, said: “Motor patrols in Alnwick see the defendant’s vehicle on Weavers Way. Officers believe the defendant had been buying drugs for personal use.

"The vehicle is stopped and the defendant admits buying the drugs. As a result he was arrested on suspicion of driving over the limit and taken into custody.”

The court heard the proportion of Benzoylecgonine (BZE, a cocaine breakdown) in the defendant’s blood was no less than 169mg of drug per litre of blood, exceeding the limit of 50mg.

In mitigation, Ian O’Rourke, said: “Nothing in the manner of his driving caused any concern but the officers had information he was buying cocaine for his own use.

"He had a problem at the time with cocaine which he’d had over the course of a couple of years despite being employed.

"He admitted to officers he had purchased drugs for £20.”

The court heard he had stayed away from drugs in recent months.

Magistrates were also told the automatic driving disqualification would result in him losing his job at a local garage.

He was banned for 12 months and ordered to pay a fine and costs totalling £253.