An industrial electrician caught drug-driving days after taking cocaine at a friend’s birthday celebration has been fined and banned from getting behind the wheel for a year.
Niall Kennedy, 23, was travelling in a Volvo V50 which was stopped by police as he travelled on the A6 near Carlisle, at around 4.30pm, on Monday October 27 last year.
Kennedy was asked to provide a drug wipe test which gave a positive reading. When an evidential sample was analysed, this showed the proportion of a cocaine breakdown product was above the legal driving limit.
In court this morning, Kennedy, of Etterby Lea Crescent, Carlisle, admitted a drug-driving charge.
Defence solicitor Adele Graham, mitigating, said Kennedy accepted the offence in full and did not think he would be over the drug-drive limit.
“He didn’t believe that he was under the influence at the time, or impaired,” said Miss Graham. “He does fully accept he should not have driven. He is remorseful to be before the court.
District judge Philip Holden imposed a £500 fine and banned Kennedy from driving for 12 months.
Kennedy must also pay a £200 surcharge and £85 prosecution costs.
