Three year ban for March drink driver who had drugs 'for Christmas' in his car

The driver of a car which appeared to be “bouncing” along a Wisbech road at speed was found to be over the alcohol limit.

March resident Daniel Matthew Nathan Barnes has been banned from the roads for three years for his second drink-driving offence in ten years.

King’s Lynn Magistrates’ Court heard on Thursday (23) that Barnes’ Saab was stopped after officers had seen it “bouncing due to its speed” in Sandy Lane. They caught up with the vehicle in Stow Road and noticed it had a defective tail light.

After Barnes failed a roadside breath test, just under a gram of cocaine worth £60 and 33 grams of cannabis was found in the car.

“He admitted it was his for Christmas time,” said Jane Walker, prosecuting. In custody, Barnes blew 63 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath; the legal limit is 35.

The 36-year-old, of Hussars Court, pleaded guilty to drink-driving and possession of class A and class B drugs. The court was told that he had a conviction for excess alcohol in 2011.

In mitigation, solicitor Tiffany Meredith said Barnes had a medical condition which had prevented him from working for the last eight months.

“That’s partly the reason why he smokes cannabis – to help with the pain in his feet,” she added. Barnes was disqualified from driving for 36 months, which can be cut with completion of a drink-driver rehabilitation course, and fined £120. He was fined a total of £120 for the two drug offences and ordered to pay £32 victim surcharge.