Police catch dad drug-driving with two-year-old child in car
A dad could be jailed after being caught drug-driving while uninsured and without a licence – and with his twoyear-old child and cannabis in the car.
Andrew Lowdon, 31, jumped in the VW Passat after his mum phoned to request his help at her Washington home.
But the factory worker was stopped on route by police who saw him motoring at exc e s s ive s p e e d o n th e A194(M), magistrates in South Tyneside heard.
He was pulled over and failed a roadside mouth swipe test for drugs – and a quantity of cannabis was also found on him on Sunday, May 17.
Magistrates have ordered an all options report into his offending, which could see him jailed when he is sentenced at the same court on Tuesday, February 4.
Pro s e c uto r M a rc Atkins said: “Officers were in a marked vehicle in the Springwell area when their attention was drawn to a black Passat.
“He was in the driving seat and a two-year-old child was also in the vehicle.
“He said that he had taken his girlfriend’s car, and he also said there was cannabis in the vehicle.
“A roadside swipe test was positive for an indication of cannabis. He then gave officers a small bag of cannabis.
“He was arrested and at the police station gave two samples of blood. It was sent
Andrew Lowdon, 31, jumped in the VW Passat after his mum phoned to request his help at her Washington home.
off for analysis and showed THC.”
The court heard he gave a
blood reading for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a cannabis derivative, greater
than 7mcgs. The legal limit is 2mcgs per litre of blood.
Tracey Wood, defending, said: “He accepts responsibility for his actions. He was extremely compliant from the start.
“He tells me that he’s a recreational user. His mum called him, and he was worried that she was unwell.
“He was going to his mum’s, who is in Washington, and he didn’t want to leave the child at home.
“He appreciates that the seriousness of this offence may place him in the custody threshold.”
Dad-of-two Lowden, who has a danger-driving conviction from 2012, was granted unconditional bail.
L o w d e n , o f T h e O va l , Ouston, Chester-le-Street, pleaded guilty to drug-driving, driving without a licence, driving without insurance, and possession of cannabis.