7 days ago
Four in court from Newport, Pontypool, and Newbridge
The four defendants were charges with offences including drug-driving, criminal damage, being in charge of a vehicle whilst unfit through drugs, and refusing to identify a driver for police.
Their cases were heard at Newport Magistrates' Court and Cwmbran Magistrates' Court.
Here's a round-up of the cases.
DALE PEARCE, 40, of Waunddu in Pontnewynydd, was under the influence of cocaine when in charge of a car on the A4042.
Pearce was in charge of a Mercedes E350 on the A4042 at Pontypool on September 16 last year. When tested, he recorded having 24 micrograms of cocaine per litre (µg/L) of blood and 240µg/L of benzoylecgonine - the main metabolite of cocaine.
The legal limits – to exclude accidental exposure – are 10µg/L and 50µg/L respectively.
He was also accused of possession of amphetamine – a Class B drug – on that date.
Pearce pleaded guilty to all three offences, and was ordered to pay a total fine of £200, £300 in costs, and an £80 surcharge.
He also had 10 points added to his licence at Newport Magistrates' Court on July 8, and a forfeiture and destruction order was made for the amphetamine.
RICHARD ELSEY, 44, of Meredith Terrace in Newbridge, has been banned from the roads after being caught drug-driving in Caerphilly.
Elsey was driving a Renault Trafic on Caerphilly Road in Ystrad Mynach on August 20, 2023. When tested, he recorded having 207µg/L of benzoylecgonine in his blood – more than four times the limit.
He pleaded guilty on June 30, and was fined £833 at Newport Magistrates' Court on July 8.
Elsey must also pay £85 in costs and a £333 surcharge, and he was disqualified from driving for 17 months.
A 13-YEAR-OLD from Newport, who cannot be identified due to their age, has admitted criminal damage.
The teenager damaged a CCTV camera at Nos Da Bakery in Newport on December 28.
They pleaded guilty at Cwmbran Magistrates' Court on July 8, and were sentenced to a four-month Youth Referral Order. They must also pay £150 in compensation.
GABRIEL NICULAE, 20, of King Street in Newport, was found to have twice refused to identify a driver when required by police.
Niculae was charged with two offences of failing to give information relating to the identification of the driver of a vehicle when required on July 3 and 10 last year.
The charges related to the identity of the driver of a Nissan Micra who was suspected of committing motoring offences.
Both charges were proved using the single justice procedure on March 18, and Niculae was ordered to pay a £660 fine, £90 in costs, and a £264 surcharge when his case came back to Cwmbran Magistrates' Court for sentence on July 8.
Niculae also received six points for each offence, meaning he was banned from driving for six months for accumulating too many points.
