AN EX-SERVICEMAN has pleaded guilty of drug driving after being found to be over the legal limit.
Simon Flanagan of Rowney Green Lane, in Alvechurch, was convicted at Redditch Magistrates Court on Tuesday (March 1) to driving with seven micrograms of cannabis per litre of blood in his system. The limit is two micrograms.
The court heard he was self-medicating the drug in an effort to treat post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Mark Soper, prosecuting, told the court Flanagan was driving on Redditch Road in Alvechurch when he was stopped by officers.
he said: “It was apparent cannabis had been used because the police could smell it so they carried out the roadside test which came out positive and he was arrested.”
Defence solicitor, Whaleed Khan, said the 29-year-old had been suffering with PTSD since he served in the armed forces and was based in Germany. He was discharged on medical grounds and had been struggling with his mental wellbeing for which he used cannabis.
“On this occasion he did smoke cannabis but felt fine in himself and did not feel he was unable to drive effectively and it does appear to be a very low reading,” he said.
District Judge Nigel Cadbury said he took Flanagan’s circumstances into account and gave him a 16 month driving ban. He also fined him £250 and ordered him to pay £135 in court costs and a £25 victim surcharge.
