Telford drug driver who 'didn't realise cocaine was in his system next day' handed long ban

Mark Peter Thomas, aged 51, of Southgate, in Sutton Hill, Telford, admitted driving with a level of 143 of the cocaine derivative BZE in his body when the limit is 50.

Thomas had been stopped while driving an Iveco van in Castlefields Way, Telford, on August 21. 

Telford Magistrates Court on Tuesday (October 29) heard from a probation officer who said that Thomas, who pleaded guilty at the first opportunity, had been out the night before being stopped.

Thomas had used cocaine as a 'one-off' while he was out with friends.

"He did not feel he was impaired and did not realise it would still be in his his system," the court was told.

The court was also told that Thomas, who fits carpets on construction sites, had failed to provide a sample for a mandatory blood test on August 11, 2024. He also pleaded guilty to that charge.

Magistrates heard that Thomas had an issue with a neighbour who said he'd been drink driving when he had not. 

"He thought he could refuse to take a mandatory test when he could not," the court heard. 

Thomas had accepted that he failed to provide because he thought he could refuse to take it.

Prosecutor Kate Price said magistrates had to hand down a mandatory driving ban of at least 36 months. 

She said the failure to provide offence aggravates the crime.

Mike Surzyn, of WMB Law, defending, told the court that Thomas should get credit for his early guilty plea. 

Magistrates handed down a 12-month community order with 80 hours unpaid work to complete in that time.

Thomas has also been ordered to pay court prosecution costs of £170 and a victims surcharge of £114. 

They also banned him from driving for 40 months after considering the two offences.

But they handed down no separate penalty for failing to provide a specimen.

Thomas was warned not to drive until he had his driving licence in his hands from the DVLA.