South Shields motorist admitted to drink and drug driving after being stopped by police
A South Tyneside motorist committed a double blunder by driving while drunk and over the limit for a prohibited drug, a court heard.
Craig Charlton, 33, was stopped by police on suspicion of a more serious matter as he drove a Ford Focus in Marsden Lane, South Shields, on Tuesday, May 27.
Charlton, of Green Lane, South Shields, was quickly exonerated of involvement in that but was suspected of being under the influence.
At a police station after his arrest, he provided a sample of blood to be tested for alcohol and illegal substances.
Prosecutor John Garside said the sample was sent for analysis and alcohol and cannabis derivative THC were present at above the legal limit.
Cocaine derivative BZE, also known as Benzo, was also identified but at a level below the legal limit and no charge on that was brought.
Mr Garside told South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court: “It was 10.30pm when the police were on mobile patrol.
“They stop-checked the defendant for a more serious offence, which was swiftly discounted.
“A sample of his blood was sent away for analysis and alcohol and Delta-9 was present. There was also Benzo but that was under the limit.”
Charlton pleaded guilty to charges of drug driving, drink driving and driving without a licence.
He gave a reading for alcohol in blood of 127mg. The legal limit is 80mg.
His reading for THC in blood was 9.5mcg. The legal limit is 2mcg.
David Forrester, defending, told District Judge Zoe Passfield: “If you take the drug driving as the most serious offence, aggravated by the alcohol.
“There’s a previous qualifying conviction which was in 2006.”
Judge Passfield handed Charlton an interim driving ban and adjourned the case for reports.
She granted him unconditional bail to be sentenced at the same court on Thursday, November 27.
The judge said: “You had alcohol and one drug over the limit and another drug under the limit, and you have a previous conviction for driving over the limit.”