Askam Dad Banned After Routine Police Stop Leads to Drug Driving Conviction

An Askam dad has been disqualified from driving after a routine police stop in Barrow led to a drug-driving conviction, magistrates were told.

Carl Jones, 37, of Blea Beck, Askam, was stopped by police at around 9.15am on September 9 while driving a grey Ford Transit on Park Road. Prosecutor Peter Kelly told South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court that Jones was alone in the vehicle at the time.

During the stop, Jones admitted he had taken cannabis and cocaine two days earlier, prompting officers to carry out a roadside drug test. The DrugWipe screening returned a positive result for cannabis, and Jones was taken into custody for a blood sample.

Analysis revealed benzoylecgonine, a cocaine metabolite, at 116 micrograms per litre, more than double the legal limit of 50 ug/L. Traces of cannabis were also detected but were below the prosecution threshold.

Guilty Plea and Mitigation

Jones, who had no relevant previous convictions and had not appeared in court for 15 years, pleaded guilty at the first opportunity to drug-driving.

Defence solicitor Trystan Roberts told the court the stop was routine and that there were no concerns about Jones’ driving. He said his client had been open with police, showed genuine remorse, and believed the drugs would no longer be in his system.

The court heard Jones works full-time and has a young daughter, with the driving ban expected to make both work and family life more difficult.