Cocaine-using South Tyneside driver pulled over after swerving in the road
A South Tyneside driver has been banned from the roads after testing positive for drugs.
A cocaine-using South Tyneside motorist is starting a three-year road ban after being caught drug driving.
Mark Mahadeva, 50, was followed by mobile patrol officers after they saw him swerve his vehicle in Whiteleas Way, Whiteleas, on Sunday, November 16, a court heard.
Mahadeva, of Arnold Street, Boldon Colliery, gave a positive roadside saliva swipe for the controlled class A drug after being pulled over.
A blood test at a police station following his arrest showed he was over the legal limit for cocaine and its breakdown product BZE.
Prosecutor Sara Kemp told borough magistrates Mahadeva had been banned for drink driving in 2021.
She revealed his latest motoring offence made him subject to the two strikes in 10-year rule and facing a mandatory minimum 36-month disqualification.
Mrs Kemp also said he committed his drug-drive crime while subject to a suspended crown court-imposed prison sentence for coercive and controlling behaviour.
And she added: “Officers’ attention was drawn to the defendant’s vehicle because they saw it swerve, not dangerously, but it seems to be a reaction and it put them on alert.
“They followed it. There was a roadside drug swipe which was positive for cocaine, which led to his arrest. He was taken to a police station.”
Mahadeva pleaded guilty to two counts of drug driving.
He gave a reading for cocaine in blood of greater than 32mcg. The legal limit is 10mcg.
And his reading for BZE was not less than 800mcg, against a legal limit of 50mcg.
He has 12 previous convictions from 14 offences, with his sentence at the crown court being for 18 months, suspended for the same period.
David Forrester, defending, told magistrates their best course of action was to sentence Mahadeva for drug driving and inform the crown court of the conviction.
Mr Forrester said it would then be up to a judge to take any action in relation to the breach of the suspended sentence.
He added: “These drug offences were a blip. There are no other drug driving offences on his record. This happened in November and there’s been nothing since.”
Magistrates also fined Mahadeva £120, with £85 court costs and a £48 victim surcharge.
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