Driver pulled over on A6 high on cannabis ‘stumbling, red-eyed’

POLICE ON CALL-OUT SAW HIS CAR SWERVING ACROSS ROAD

POLICE rushing to an incident in Loughborough had to stop to pull over a driver who was swerving across the A6 while high on cannabis, a court has heard.

Balal Ahmed was described as “stumbling out of the vehicle looking confused, smelling of cannabis with red, glazed eyes” by the two officers, who also found £210 worth of the drug in his car.

On Thursday, Leicester Magistrates’ Court heard they had been travelling north past Rothley on the dual carriageway at 9pm on November 2 when they spotted the BMW containing 32-year-old Ahmed and his girlfriend.

The officers had been dispatched to a call in Loughborough town centre but decided it was more important to get Ahmed off the road. Prosecutor Kwok Wan said: “They came across a BMW swerving from one lane to the next.

“It was swerving constantly and using the brake for no reason. The vehicle continued swerving as if the driver was under the influence of some substance. So instead of going on to the incident they decided the driver needed to be spoken to.

“Mr Ahmed is described by the officers as stumbling out of the vehicle looking confused, smelling of cannabis with red, glazed eyes.

“He is asked to go to the police car where a drug wipe test for cannabis was carried out, which he subsequently failed.”

The court was told that a blood sample was also taken for analysis, which gave a reading of 5.8 microgrammes of cannaboids per litre of blood.

A reading of anything more than 2 microgrammes is classed as a motoring offence.

A quick search of Ahmed’s BMW uncovered £420 in cash and £210 worth of cannabis, which was stored in a number of labelled boxes.

Mr Wan said Ahmed was being prosecuted for possession and not for dealing.

He said Ahmed, of Bishop Street, Loughborough, has two previous drug convictions from the past seven years, including one of possession with intent to supply, for which he was given a suspended jail sentence in 2014.

David

Swingler, representing

Ahmed, said his client was a “hard- clear evidence you were driving working young man” who until badly and putting others at risk. recently had held two jobs – “As well as being over the limit doing employment agency you also had quite a quantity work and delivering of cannabis – it’s not the food for a restaurant. first time you’ve been convicted for having

However, he drugs.” said that since Ahmed, who the coronavirus had pleaded guilty lockdown the to possession of agency work Class B drugs and had dried up driving while over and the inevitable the limit for drugs, driving ban was ordered to do 80 would prevent him hours of unpaid work. working as a delivery He was also disqualified driver. from driving for 18 months

District Judge Nick Watson and ordered to pay £85 court costs told Ahmed: “I’m told there was and a £90 victim surcharge.

Mr Ahmed is described as stumbling out of the vehicle looking confused, smelling of cannabis Prosecutor