King’s Lynn drug-driver disqualified after being caught on mobile phone

Police who spotted a 39-year-old using his phone behind the wheel also discovered that he was drug-driving.

Aaron Wilson, of White Sedge in Lynn, appeared at the town’s magistrates court on Thursday where he admitted to driving above the specified drug limit.

Prosecutor Colette Harper explained that at 5pm on May 17 2023, police were on patrol when they saw Wilson looking at his phone while driving along Hardwick Road in Lynn.

Subsequently, police decided to pull him over, and could smell cannabis in the Ford Ranger that Wilson was driving.

Wilson admitted to officers that he had smoked a joint the day before and was arrested and taken to Lynn’s Police Investigation Centre – but was released on bail until test results from a drugs test carried out came back.

A reading of 2.1mcg of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, a cannabis breakdown, was found per litre of Wilson’s blood. The legal limit to drive is 2mcg – meaning he was just over the limit.

In mitigation, George Sorrell said: “Unfortunately, he had taken cannabis due to the pressures of life, thinking it would offer him comfort.

“The inevitable driving disqualification will cause him some hardship, he is also a carer for his father who has a serious illness.”

Wilson was disqualified from driving for 12 months and was fined £300.

He will also pay a victim surcharge of £120 and court costs of £105.