South Shields man caught drug driving twice on the same day
A South Tyneside man was caught drug driving twice on the same day after he got back behind the wheel with cocaine still in his system, a court heard.
Brian Johnston, 29, gave a positive roadside drug swipe for the banned substance when pulled over in the early hours of Sunday, January 19.
Johnston, of St Cuthbert’s Avenue, Horsley Hill, South Shields, was arrested and taken to Newcastle’s Forth Banks police station.
When released 12 hours later, he asked officers if enough time had passed for him to legally get back behind the wheel of his VW Golf.
They said it had, magistrates in South Tyneside were told – but a patrol stopped him again soon afterwards and he gave another over-the-limit reading.
He had not consumed any new drugs and it was substances from his first arrest that were still in his system, it was said.
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Both matters were prosecuted separately and he was already serving a 12-month roads’ ban when he returned to court to face a second round of justice.
Prosecutor Marcus Blakelock said: “He was witnessed by officers who got behind a silver Golf. The car was stopped towards Washington.
“They’ve conducted checks and then spoke to the driver. They noticed he had glazed eyes, and they suspected he was under the influence.
“The drug driving procedure was undertaken. Things then start to get a bit messy in respect of the defendant,
“You’ll note that he has one previous conviction from one offence. It also takes place on the same date.
“I did some investigation, and it seems there has been a second arrest for drug driving.
“After he was released, it would appear that he’s been arrested twice for the same drugs in his system.”
Johnston pleaded guilty to two counts of drug driving on the A1231 Sunderland Highway at Washington.
His reading in blood for class A cocaine was greater than 26mcg. The legal limit is 10mcg.
And his reading for cocaine breakdown product BZE was 800mcg, against a legal limit of 50mcg.
Alastair Naismith, defending, said: “A case that appears simple until you get to the previous conviction.
“What’s happened was that he was stopped at 2.53am. He was taken to Forth Banks and bedded down for the night.
“He’s released from police custody about 12 hours later. He’s asked the sergeant if he can go and collect his car.
“He was told yes, it’s 12 hours ago. He’s then seen driving, there was a marker on his car. The cocaine taken the night before was still in his system.
“The problem for Mr Johnston is the order these have come to court. The second arrest has come to court first.
“This matter before you is what you may call the original offence.
“I would ask that in this unique case, you can deal with this offence by way of a conditional discharge.”
Magistrates banned Johnston from driving for 12 months, to run concurrently to his first disqualification, and fined him £80.