Drug-driver caught out during shopping trip for nan, King's Lynn court told

A motorist caught drug-driving in Lynn fears he may lose his job as a result.

Bradley Hawkins, 21, had a passenger with him when he was pulled over in Campbells Meadow, Lynn.

He told police who could smell cannabis coming from inside the vehicle that he smoked it “most nights”, Lynn Magistrates’ Court was told on Thursday.

It was 9.30pm on May 27 and Hawkins said he had last smoked it at 3am.

He was arrested after failing a roadside drug wipe.

A test in custody showed that he had 9.1 micrograms of a cannabis metabolite per litre of blood in his system. The specified limit is two.

Hawkins, of The Causeway, Stow Bridge, pleaded guilty to drug-driving.

Solicitor Tiffany Meredith said there was nothing in the manner of her client’s driving which had caused him to be stopped.

“He was driving to get his nan’s shopping. He’s effectively her unpaid carer,” said Miss Meredith in mitigation.

She added that the offence was “completely out of character” and there was a “high possibility” he might lose his employment as a machine operator.

Hawkins was disqualified from driving for 12 months, fined £330 and ordered to pay £105 costs plus a £34 victim surcharge.