Driver who is a ‘menace and danger’ is jailed

A drug user got behind the wheel of a car after smoking cannabis then swapped places with his wife when he saw a police car.

Michael Starmore, who had been before the courts for 95 previous offences, is due to become a dad in five weeks.

The judge was asked not to jail him but sentencing at Cardiff Crown Court, Judge Jeremy Jenkins described him as an “absolute menace and a danger”.

He jailed Starmore for 20 weeks.

Starmore was caught while driving in Abersychan, Pontypool, around 8am on September 12.

Julian Greenwood, prosecuting, said two police officers who were patrolling the area recognised him as a disqualified driver.

They followed his Vauxhall Astra and indicated for him to pull over.

The court was told he had changed places with his wife, so he was in the passenger seat, and told officers she had been driving.

Starmore was arrested and taken into custody, where a blood sample was taken.

He was found to have 4.2 microgrammes of the Class B drug in each litre of blood.

Mr Greenwood said: “The aroma of cannabis was emanating from his direction.”

The court heard he was given a four-month jail term, suspended for a year, in September 2016 for driving while disqualified and without insurance.

Judge Jenkins noted that sentence would have expired eight days after the new offences were committed.

Mr Greenwood said: “From his point of view, it was very unfortunate timing.” He added Starmore had been before the courts for 95 previous offences, including aggravated vehicle taking and dangerous driving.

The 34-year-old from Upper Park Terrace in Pontypool admitted driving under the influence of drugs, while disqualified and without insurance in breach of a suspended sentence.

Harry Baker, defending, said his client had “significant” psychiatric problems.

The judge questioned: “Why was he behind the wheel of a car?”

Mr Baker replied: “He should not have been. He understands that.”

Mr Baker asked for a curfew for his client instead of a prison sentence.

But Judge Jenkins said: “It is about time that the courts dealt with him in a way commensurate with his offending.

“He is an absolute menace and a danger.”

The judge replied: “He was twice the legal limit for cannabis – of course he is a danger on the road.”

Starmore was jailed for 20 weeks and disqualified from driving for three years.