Tip-off to the police led to prosecution of Sellafield worker for drug driving
Maryport man Dominic Doughty, 25, was caught by police driving at Victoria Place in Carlisle while slightly over the limit for cannabis, magistrates heard.
He pleaded guilty to the offence.
At Carlisle's Rickergate court, prosecutor George Shelley said the offending came to light on February 23 after police were given 'information' that the defendant was driving his Suzuki Swift car after using cannabis.
'As a result, the vehicle was stopped and officers noticed a smell of cannabis emanating from the vehicle,' said the prosecutor.
At the time police stopped the car, Doughty was driving with his partner and their baby in the car, the court heard. A blood test confirmed he had the active cannabis ingredient was in his blood at a concentration of 2.4mcg per litre.
The legal limit for driving is 2mcg.
Mr Shelley confirmed that Doughty, of Ellenborough Old Road, Maryport, had no previous convictions.
Kate Hunter, defending, said that Doughty knew he faced a mandatory disqualification as a result of the conviction. 'Just three weeks ago, he got a very good job at Sellafield, but that job will not now be available to him,' said the lawyer.
'When he loses his licence, he will have to find a job elsewhere. His child is now six months old.'
Miss Hunter said the defendant had been smoking cannabis for a decade, but he had now kicked his habit and had been clean of the drug for two months.
Though the cannabis reading was just over the limit, the defendant knew that there was no justification. Like many people, he had not realised the impact that such drug use can as a person's tolerance to it builds up.
'He accepts that that no person should be under the influence of drugs and driving, particularly with their partner and young baby in the car.
'His mental health has never been great and that is why he originally started with cannabis, but he knows he is much better off drugs. He's been off cannabis for two months but is also looking to improve that in other ways.'
Miss Hunter added that Doughty knew the conviction would affect his future employment prospects.
Magistrates said the offence was made worse by the presence of passengers in the car but this was balanced out by Doughty having no previous convictions. They imposed a £120 fine, £85 costs, and a £48 victim surcharge.
The defendant was given a 12-month ban, the minimum available to magistrates for a drug driving offence.
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