A MOTORIST who flipped his car the morning after taking cocaine told a witness “no police” after she had stopped to help him.

Llandrindod Wells Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, April 13, heard that Dylan Ronald Trow’s Skoda Roomster was found upside down and partially blocking the B4355 between Knucklas and Knighton early on the morning of November 15, last year.

Trow, 43, was described as “all over the place” and dropping items as he kept retrieving them from his car during the incident. Trow, of Kinsley Road, Knighton, admitted two charges of drug driving at Wednesday’s hearing.

Prosecutor Stephen Davies said the incident occurred at around 7.33am. “A witness driving the Knighton to Knucklas road noticed the vehicle upside down,” he said.

“She could see a male going in and out of the vehicle collecting items, dropping them everywhere, and she asked him what happened. He said he’d crashed and she said she was calling the police, but the defendant said ‘no police, no police’.

“She said he seemed to be all over the place. Police officers arrived and the defendant said he’d swerved to avoid something. Other officers arrived and a roadside drug wipe was carried out and proved to be positive and he was arrested. He gave a no comment interview.”

Mr Davies said Trow had two drugs in his system, cocaine and benzoylecgonine – a by-product of the Class A drug. The amount of benzoylecgonine in his system was deemed to be 533 micrograms – exceeding the legal limit of 50, while there was 14 micrograms of cocaine in his system, the legal limit being 10mcgs.

Acting for Trow, Gareth Walters said his client is likely to lose two prospective jobs because of the offence.

“It is always a shame to lose your good character in foolish circumstances,” said Mr Walters.

“Mr Trow had taken cocaine the day before, the reading provided was the residual amount left in his body. Although there were two drugs, benzoylecgonine is a derivative of cocaine in the body so it’s the same drug.

“You may consider the incident an unacceptable standard of driving, but police have not charged him with any other driving offence. Police have taken him at his word that he swerved to avoid something, so there is no evidence of unacceptable driving.

“Mr Trow has no previous convictions whatsoever, no cautions. He is remorseful for his actions.

“This will cause hardship to him and his family with an inevitable ban, he had two potential jobs lined up as labourer and as a driver and technician for a cinema company; he is likely to lose both now.

“He lives with his mother and 91-year-old grandmother who he does a great deal of caring for.”

Trow was banned from driving for 12 months. He was also fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £34 surcharge.