A Welshman who was found asleep at the wheel of his BMW Cabriolet on a major road in Ryde has pleaded guilty to drug driving and been banned from the roads for 23 months.
Guy Watson, 32, of HMP Parc in Bridgend, pleaded guilty to 2x drug driving and possession of a controlled drug (Class B) when he appeared at the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court via video link on Tuesday (30th May).
Prosecuting, Ann Smout, told the court that on the 17th October 2022, at around 20:15, Police officers saw Watson asleep at the wheel of his White BMW 1-series on Union Street in Ryde.
Officers spoke to Watson and ordered he give a specimen at the roadside which returned a reading below the legal limit.
A specimen of saliva was taken which returned a positive reading for cocaine. Having been taken to Newport Police Station, a blood sample was taken which returned a positive reading for both cocaine and ketamine.
A small bag of white powder was found in the BMW and was subsequently seized.
Defending, Christian Cormack said that his client had only driven a short distance and that he was suffering from significant mental pressure at the time of the incident and was even placed on safeguarding measures in his home county of Glamorgan at the time.
Magistrates handed Watson a 23-month driving ban. He was also ordered to pay an £120 fine, £85 costs and £48 surcharge fee.
Who gives a s… more excuses don’t drink drive, take drugs and drive! The courts are being laughed at, you call the fine a deterrent?? I don’t think I’m the only one who is done with these people who have absolutely no respect for the law!
The fine is pathetic. Nothing will change until the courts hand out realistic punishments.
Judging by his address he won’t have any income to pay the fine anyway.
Our laws need realistic enforcement and offenders need to face significant consequences for flouting the law and ruining the lives of law abiding citizens.
This is the reason we need to stop the boats! We don’t need these types of people coming here, filling up our prisons and taking up the spaces needed for our home grown crims. Just telling it how it is!
I read this rather hastily as “Welshman found a sheep at the wheel”.