A Cowes man who was caught by Police driving whilst 16 times over the drug drive limit has been handed an interim driving ban.
45-year-old Martyn Shotton of Sun Hill in Cowes pleaded guilty to 3x drug driving when he appeared at the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court last week (Tuesday).
Ann Smout, prosecuting, told the court that at 14:00 on 22nd October 2022, Shotton was seen driving his silver Ford Focus along Great Preston Road in Ryde.
Police followed him into Carlton Road before stopping him and searching his car where a small amount of white powder was found in the footwell.
Shotton – the sole occupant of the car – was then tested at the roadside for cocaine and cannabis. Both tests showed positive results. As a result, he was taken to Newport Police Station.
At the station, blood was taken which later registered a reading of 315ug/l in Benzoylecgonine, a cocaine derivative. This is some 6 times over the legal limit of 50. A result for THC also came back showing a reading of 2.1ug/l – just over the legal limit of 2.
The next month, on 19th November, the 45-year-old carer was stopped in Sainsbury’s car park off Foxes Road in Newport after officers saw him – in his Ford Focus – clip a kerb.
Another drugs test, again at Newport Police Station, returned a Benzoylecgonine reading of 800, over double the reading in October and some 16 times over the legal limit of 50.
Defending, Oscar Vincent said that his client had put no one in danger during either incident and that the 45-year-old – whose last recorded road traffic incident was back in 2009 – hadn’t consumed any drugs on the days in question, but instead took them 3 or 4 days before.
The case was adjourned until 3rd March to allow a pre-sentence report to be compiled. Shotton was handed an interim driving ban in the meantime and granted unconditional bail.
WTF, of course he put people in danger, just because there was no accident doesnt mean it could not of happened being so far on drugs. there should be zero limit (not over the Limit)..think the solicitor must be high to give a defense like that
Should not have been driving after the first offence. Far too soft.
Sadly, it takes time for the bloods to be analysed. Far too long IMO. CPO rules need changing or a faster route to analasys.
Nearly a month between the offences, yet he was still allowed to drive. Keep death on the road eh iow police. My suggestion is, speed up the process on drug results. Your pretty quick to arrest on assumption at times
Yep ridiculous,why still allowed to drive and keep car,what if Court was delayed further.Police should have power to interim ban and impound car so as to limit potential of harm to others.
Its not the polices fault it takes so long its down to the labs that test it on the mainland hence the long bail time to allow the results to be returned then a decision to charge would be made and then a file has to be processed before going to CPS then possible court.
Try doing the job before making your own assumptions of how it should be done.
How ridiculous, did not injure anyone… if it was drink driving, would have got a lot worse, doubt anyone would say, but he didn’t hurt anyone… DRUG DRIVING… illegal… simples !! The defence people are awful..
The defence lawyers have to ( by law) present their client’s case in the best possible light…sad but true..and it doesn’t mean they believe or sympathise with their client except where they have proof that their client is lying.
Oscar Vincent – I wonder if you would chirpy state “put no one’s life in danger” if it was one of YOUR family maimed or at worse KILLED by a drug driver? Do you ever ponder this? Sleep well at night? Or do you just lie there thinking about all the £ you receive for supporting this VERY poor behaviour? Hmm, I wonder. I hope it doesn’t happen to you as I wish no ill on anyone but jeez, if I were you, my conscience wouldn’t allow me to sleep. Money, money hey!!
Oscar is a top bloke, he don’t get to choose who he defends,
It is not his fault that he is good at his job !
So one rule for drinkers AND another rule for coke heads ?
Great isn’t it? Now we have smack rat carers. What’s next, paedo baby sitters? What a sh*t hole this Island is becoming