COURT: Broughton man fined and banned for drug-driving
Mark Hughes, of Wellington Road in Broughton, appeared at Mold Magistrates Court on Thursday morning.
The 41-year-old admitted two offences of driving a motor vehicle in Buckley when the proportion of a controlled drug exceeded the specified limit, as well as possession of cannabis.
Prosecutor Rhian Jackson told the court that at around 11.45pm on January 10 this year, police on patrol in Buckley went along Victoria Avenue, where they spotted a silver Seat Leon.
It was stationary and idling opposite some flats, and the driver (Hughes) appeared "hunched over the steering console."
The officers watches as the vehicle moved forward a short distance before halting again, and went to speak to him.
There was a strong smell of cannabis from the vehicle, and when a search was carried out, a bag of the substance was discovered in the driver door.
When his samples were analysed, Hughes was found to have more than 400 microgrammes of Benzoylecgonine (a cocaine breakdown product also referred to as BZE) per litre of blood - the limit being 50.
He was also found to have 35 microgrammes of cocaine per litre of blood; the limit being 10.
Ms Jackson told the court Hughes had 20 previous convictions for 36 offences; among them relevant drink and drug drive offences.
Laura MacMillan, defending, told the court: "He accepts he took cocaine, but not before driving. This was left in his system from earlier use.
"Mr Hughes has previously worked with probation and believed he benefited from their intervention as much as he could.
"This is a blip in him trying to turn his life around.
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"As of four weeks ago, he got permanent employment in a glass factory."
The Magistrates fined the defendant £716 and ordered him to pay a £286 victim surcharge, as well as £85 costs.
He was banned from driving for three years.
At the conclusion, the defendant told the Magistrates: "Thank you for everything you've done, and sorry for wasting court time."
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