A dad-of-five who took cocaine "as a pick me up" was sacked from his job immediately after he was arrested for drug driving along the Newtown bypass, a court has heard.
Police were tipped off by a member of the public who suspected Jamie Sheldon was driving a white Citroen van towards Newtown while under the influence of drugs or alcohol on the evening of November 2, last year.
A drug test later found that the 34-year-old from Newtown had been driving with benzoylecgonine (BZE), a cocaine compound, and he was also over the legal limit for cocaine.
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Cocaine was present in Sheldon's system at a level of 39 micrograms – the legal limit is 10 micrograms. The amount of BZE present was 240 micrograms – the legal limit being 50.
Sheldon was given a 12-month driving ban after he pleaded guilty to two counts of drug driving when he appeared in the dock at Welshpool Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, April 23.
Robert Hanratty, who was acting on behalf of Sheldon, said: "The defendant doesn’t deny taking cocaine. It was taken as a pick me up.
"He is a family man with five children with one recently born only a few days ago.
"He was sacked from his job immediately after the arrest. I ask that you bear that in mind."
Magistrates ordered Sheldon, of Gelli, Treowen, to pay a £120 fine, £48 victim surcharge and £85 prosecution costs.
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