A TEENAGER caught driving whilst under the influence of drugs using a new police technique has been disqualified from driving.
Scott Bauld, 19, of Manor Crescent, was driving a Ford Ka along Penhill Drive on December 29, 2015, when he was pulled over by the police.
Pauline Lambert, prosecuting, said: “The officer could smell cannabis within the car and he (Bauld) was exhibiting signs of drug use.”
The officer used a new roadside ‘drugwipe’ test to determine that Bauld had cannabis in his system.
He was taken to Swindon Police Station where blood samples were taken showing he had 4.4mg of cannabis per litre of blood in his system.
The legal limit is 2mg per litre.
Unlike drink driving, the sentencing guidelines for drug driving are still unclear and don’t offer a helpful indication of what is to be considered as a high level of intoxication.
However, anyone convicted of the offence will, apart from in exceptional circumstances, face a disqualification from driving of at least 12 months.
In this case, magistrates imposed a ban of 17 months, along with a fine of £120 for the drug driving offence.
They also imposed a fine of £40 for driving without a valid driving licence and £140 for driving without insurance.
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