Call To Police Leads To Ban For Drug-driver

A phone call to police from a concerned member of the public has led to a drug-driver losing his licence for more than a year.

The 999 call was made just after 5pm on 28 March, reporting a white Renault van that was driving erratically on the A47 at Guyhirn in Fenland.

Neighbourhood policing officers were in the area when they came across the van at the junction with the A47 roundabout, heading towards South Brink.

The officers followed the van for a short distance, witnessing it cross onto the other side of the carriageway, before pulling it over and detaining the driver – 34-year-old Ashton Smith.

Suspecting he was under the influence of drugs due to his manner of driving, slurred speech and constricted pupils, a roadside drugs test was carried out which showed positive for cocaine.

Smith was arrested and taken into custody where an evidential blood sample was taken, which later showed 316 micrograms of benzoylecgonine present in a litre of blood (ug/L).

Benzoylecgonine is the main metabolite of cocaine, which is formed in the body after cocaine consumption – the legal limit is 50 ug/L.

Smith, of Churchill Drive, Stourbridge, West Midlands, appeared at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court where he was disqualified from driving for a year and four months and fined £120 after admitting driving while under the influence of drugs.

PC Matt Smart, who made the arrest, said: “Driving under the influence of drink or drugs is extremely dangerous and can affect your driving in numerous ways, drastically increasing the risk of causing a collision.

“I am thankful to the person who called us that day. Because they acted on their instincts, we were able to locate Smith and take him off the road before his actions could affect anyone else on the roads.”