Cannabis driver caught at Welshpool Morrisons banned

Lee Evans, 47, was found to be over the legal drug-driving limit when police found him in the Morrisons car park in Welshpool.

Welshpool Magistrates' Court heard Evans, of Heulwen Square, Welshpool, pleaded guilty to driving a Suzuki Avenis scooter on March 6, with a proportion of Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in cannabis, above the legal limit in his blood.

Prosecutor Helen Tench said that at about 11am PC Errol received a report concerning a potential drug-driver.

Welshpool Magistrates' Court, where Lee Evans was banned from driving for 12 months after admitting drug-driving in Morrisons car park. (Image: Google)

The officer located the scooter in the Morrisons car park and saw Evans walking back towards it.

When spoken to by police, Evans admitted having smoked cannabis the previous night.

A roadside drug swipe test proved positive and he was arrested.

A subsequent blood sample showed he had 3.6 micrograms of THC per litre of blood.

The legal limit is two micrograms.

Ms Tench said Evans later admitted in interview that he had smoked cannabis the night before and had travelled to Morrisons to do his shopping.

Defending, Owain Jones said his client had co-operated fully with police from the outset and admitted he had been driving.

"He is guilty by his own admission," said Mr Jones.

Mr Jones said there were no aggravating features in the case and there was no suggestion that Evans' driving had been impaired.

The solicitor told magistrates Evans used cannabis to help relieve symptoms following serious health problems, including thrombosis, sepsis and a hospital stay.

Mr Jones said he had encouraged Evans to seek prescribed medicinal cannabis in future and that his client understood he should not drive after taking unprescribed drugs.

The court heard Evans was in receipt of Universal Credit but had savings and was willing to pay any financial penalty immediately.

Magistrates decided to disqualify Evans from driving for 12 months and fined him £120.

He was also ordered to pay a £48 victim surcharge and £85 costs, bringing the total to £253.