Repeated drug driver spared jail

Stuart Stoker of Brindley Ford, Brookside, Telford was stopped by police on the Bridgnorth Road in Telford on November 16, Telford Magistrates Court heard on Wednesday.

The court was told that police officers stopped the 36-year-old's Audi A4 at around 11.45am to quiz the driver about the darkened tint of the windows on his vehicle.

Ms Sara Beddow, prosecuting, said following the routine traffic stop, a roadside drug swab test was conducted and Stoker was found to have twice the legal prescribed limit of cannabis in his system.

She said that just over a month later on December 17, Stoker was stopped in Holmer Farm Road in Stirchley by police and after a roadside test was found to have both cocaine and cannabis in his system.

He admitted all three offences before District Judge Kevin Grego in Telford on Tuesday, who told the errant motorist that due to his previous convictions for drink and drug driving, his offences "clearly passed the custody threshold".

He said: "Over the last 12 years you have five drug or drink drive convictions. You are no stranger to using your car at the same time of using drugs."

But the judge was told that a previous court order for another matter dealt with at the crown court was "having a beneficial effect" on the defendant, and said he did not want to interfere with that by imposing a prison sentence on him.

In sparing Stoker jail, the judge told him: "You have a dreadful record for driving with alcohol in your system or over the limit of measurable drugs."

He said he planned to "keep you off the road to safeguard you from other road users" and disqualified Stoker from driving for four years.

He also placed him on a community order for a year, adding 40 hours of unpaid work to the 100 hours of unpaid work he was previously ordered to undertake by the crown court.

Stoker was also ordered to pay £399 in court costs and victim surcharge.