YEAR-LONG DRIVING BAN FOR CANNABIS-SMOKING VAN MAN

A Freshwater man has been handed a 12-month driving ban after he admitted getting behind the wheel after smoking cannabis. Joshua Stephan, 22, of High Street in Freshwater, pleaded guilty to drug driving when he appeared at the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court earlier this week (25th June). Liz Miller, prosecuting, told the court that Police were on patrol in Rookley at around 03:30 on 15th January when they stopped a Citroen Dispatch van. The driver of the van – Stephan – told Police that he’d been smoking cannabis and so a roadside drugs wipe was carried out. The test returned a positive reading for THC – the breakdown product of cannabis. Defending, Bridget O’Hagan told the court that her client – who has no previous convictions – couldn’t have been more cooperative with the Police. Magistrates handed the 22-year-old a 12-month driving ban. He was fined £230 and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a £92 surcharge fee.