£40 dope deal costs drink-driver £750 - and a ban (From Worcester News)

£40 cannabis deal costs driver £750 - and a ban

4:10pm Monday 15th October 2012 in News

A DRINK driver without a full licence took his ex-girlfriend’s car without asking her so he could pick up some cannabis from Upton-upon-Severn.

Sam Pratt admitted taking a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent, possession of cannabis, drink-driving, driving a vehicle otherwise than in accordance with a licence and driving without insurance when he appeared before Worcester magistrates.

All charges relate to an incident on Saturday, September 22, when police stopped 26-year-old Pratt in Hanley Road, Upton ,after they followed him in the Vauxhall Corsa.

Matt Dodson, prosecuting, said Pratt told officers he had only bought the car a couple of weeks ago so the system might not show the car as registered to him.

A breath test revealed 55mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, above the legal limit of 35mcg.

Checks revealed it was not his vehicle and he was also searched, revealing five small, clear bags containing cannabis with a street value of about £40 which he said he had bought from an address in Upton.

The owner of the vehicle confirmed that the car had been left parked outside the defendant’s mother’s address in Tewkesbury and Pratt did not have permission to drive it.

Further checks revealed that Pratt, of High Street, Tewkesbury, was only a provisional licence holder.

The car was returned undamaged, Mr Dodson said.

Kate Oliver, defending, said Pratt has expressed remorse and guilty pleas were submitted at the earliest opportunity.

She said: “The defendant is still on friendly terms with his ex-partner and she is friends with the defendant’s mother and she left her vehicle, with her keys, at the defendant’s mother’s address.

“He knew he didn’t have permission to use that car.

“This is not pre-meditated and there are no aggravating features. He has had no involvement with the police at all previously. This is a young man who has accepted responsibility immediately.

“It was a spur of the moment decision. It has served as a wake-up call to him. It’s shocked him.”

The unemployed refrigeration engineer was fined £100 for possession of cannabis, £200 for drink-driving which also resulted in a ban of 12 months, £50 for driving without a full licence, £300 for driving without insurance, a victim surcharge of £15 and costs of £85.