Airport trip drug-driver loses licence

WAS PLANE-SPOTTING WITH PAL

A MAN who smoked cannabis 12 hours before he took a friend “planespotting” at East Midlands Airport has lost his licence after police arrested him for drug-driving.

Jack Walters has been disqualified from driving for a year after he was detained near the Castle Donington airport at 10.30pm on Friday, August 28 last year.

The 24-year-old appeared at Leicester Magistrates’ Court on Thursday to plead guilty to drugdriving.

Prosecutor Sukhy Singh told the court: “Police officers saw a silver Vauxhall Corsa and noted it appeared to be driving in circles near the airport.

“They became suspicious and caused the vehicle to stop and when they spoke to the driver his eyes appeared to be glazed and his speech was noticeably slow.

“There was also a smell of cannabis coming from inside the vehicle. The officers searched the vehicle and found very small amounts of cannabis.”

Walters was taken into custody where a blood sample was taken.

This gave a reading of 2.5mg of cannabis per litre of blood – the legal limit is 2mg.

Walters, who chose to represent himself in court, was asked to explain his behaviour. He said he had smoked the drug about 12 hours before he set off for the airport from his home in Caxton Street, Derby.

He said: “Me and my friend were just going to park near the airport and watch the planes for a bit.”

District Judge Nick Watson banned Walters from driving for 12 months and fined him £360, telling him: “I have to disqualify you. I accept you were not driving badly, you were driving aimlessly.”

He was also told to pay prosecution costs of £85.