A FORMER haulier arrested for driving a heavy goods vehicle on the M4 while high on heroin, cocaine and cannabis has been banned from the roads for 18 months after a court heard he is now clean.

Thomas Scorey was picked up by police at Junction 16 of the M4 after his articulated lorry was seen swaying in the road and straddling lanes.

When officers in an unmarked car pulled 29-year-old Storey over, it was clear he was under the influence of drugs and a wrap of heroin was found in the central tray of the cab.

Blood tests revealed Storey had amounts of heroin, cocaine and cannabis in his system, and the former driver, of Stone Street, Canterbury, has said the moment was a turning point for him.

Pauline Lambert, prosecuting at Swindon magistrates court yesterday, said: “On October 2 last year police officers were directed to Junction 16 of the M4 in response to reports of an articulated heavy goods vehicle being driven erratically, travelling eastbound.

“They have parked up in an unmarked car and saw the vehicle approaching the exit slip road.

“It continues eastbound and suddenly veers off to the near side and enters the sliproad straddling both lanes, crossing lane one and onto the hard shoulder, crossing the path of two oncoming cars.

“The vehicle was held up at traffic lights where the officers stopped the vehicle. The defendant was described as ashen-faced and sweating, with constricted pupils.

“A search was carried out and in a tray in the centre console was a wrapped quantity of heroin.

“The driver was taken into custody where an impairment test and blood tests were carried out, and samples were found to contain morphine, codeine and THC, consistent with use of heroin, cocaine and cannabis.”

Wayne Hardy, defending Storey, said the man no longer works as a haulier and had been working hard to get clean.

“He is genuinely remorseful for his actions that day, and he has tried his best to turn his life around,” he said.

“He is no longer taking controlled substances. This was his wake-up call.

“At that time he had been working as a driver for Foxwood Transports, and his life was in a very bad place. It is obvious to anybody that his driving was impaired as a result of drugs he had consumed.

“He has no real income and has quit his job with the haulage company.

“He is aware that there could have been fatal consequences as a result of his actions.”

Storey was fined £110 for possession of Class A drugs, and for driving under the influence, banned for 18 months and fined an additional £110.

A £20 victim surcharge was also imposed.