A Carlisle man caught drug-driving near his home twice in a matter of weeks after using cocaine during his weekend leisure time has been handed a motoring ban.
Ashley Read, 26, was behind the wheel of blue Volkswagen Passat which was stopped by police as he travelled along Mayfield Avenue in Harraby at around 6-45pm on Sunday, October 9. A drug test proved positive and when a blood sample was later analysed it showed he was over the legal driving limit for cocaine.
Read was released as police investigated that matter but then came to the attention of officers again as he drove a red Isuzu Trooper along Eastern Way on Tuesday, November 22. There was an issue of the insurance status at that time.
Read, of Mayfield Avenue, again provided a positive test and for a second time a blood specimen he provided showed he was above the legal limit.
At Carlisle Magistrates’ Court today he pleaded guilty to two cocaine drug-drive charges. He appeared remotely from custody having received a 22-week jail term for illegal possession of a knife on he day he had failed his first drug test.
Chris Toms, giving mitigation, said Read had been co-operative with police after both stoppages — neither of which had been due to the standard of his driving. The presence of a cocaine breakdown product on both occasions showed the cocaine use was of “some age”. “He did take it on the weekend for recreational purposes. Stopped a day or so later it is still in his system,” said Mr Toms. “He obviously felt fine to drive despite the (blood sample) readings.”
Magistrates heard Read was due for release from prison next week. They indicated they were minded to impose a community order for the two drug-driving crimes but opted to adjourn sentence until March 27 so that rehabilitation options could be discussed with a probation officer in the meantime.
Read was handed an interim driving ban, the length of which will be fixed when he receives his punishment in two weeks’ time.
