A man driving his disabled dad's modified car to a sports event in north Wales with his friends while under the influence of cannabis has been banned for a year.
Police stopped the Motability vehicle driven by 30-year-old Jack Harris at McDonald's after noticing a strong smell of cannabis along the Welshpool Bypass on September 15 last year.
Police Constable Hewitt described Harris' eyes as red with dilated pupils, Welshpool Magistrates' Court heard on Tuesday, March 26.
Harris, of Penlan, Swansea, pleaded guilty to driving with twice the legal amount of Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, a metabolite of cannabis. He also admitted driving without third-party insurance.
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Prosecutor Helen Tench said the Motability vehicle was registered to Harris' father which was "solely for business use with a disability" and was not used on his behalf on that day to watch sport with his friends. "The insurance was therefore invalid," she added.
Robert Hanratty, acting on behalf of Harris, said: "It was his father’s vehicle to provide benefit to the person who has the disability.
"He accepts that he wasn’t using the vehicle that would be beneficial for his father’s disability.
"You could say going to an event would benefit the mental well-being of the person who cares for the individual.
"He accepts going to north Wales to a sporting event wouldn’t count as that."
Magistrates decided to fine Harris £300 for drug driving and £200 for having no valid insurance.
He must also pay a £200 victim surcharge and £85 prosecution costs.
Rebecca Klug, chair, said: "The fact you didn’t know you weren't insured to drive your dad’s car is no defence".
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