Officers sniff out a cannabis drug-driver who had just celebrated his 21st birthday

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on July 2 how Connor Sharratt, 21, of Gorse Valley Road, Hasland, Chesterfield, had been driving a Fiat Punto on Lockoford Lane, Chesterfield, when officers smelled cannabis and followed and stopped the vehicle.

Prosecuting solicitor Becky Allsop said: “It was early afternoon, at 1.30pm, on March 26, when officers were on patrol at Whittington Moor roundabout and got a strong smell of cannabis from a Punto behind them.

“It pulled off into a KFC and officers turned around and followed and spoke to Sharratt who was the driver with three passengers in the vehicle.”

Mrs Allsop added that Sharratt gave a positive swipe reading for cannabis and he provided blood which registered 5.5 microgrammes of Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol per litre of blood which exceeded the limit of two microgrammes.

Jobless Sharratt, who is of previous good character, pleaded guilty to exceeding the drug-drive limit.

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Defence solicitor Kevin Tomlinson said Sharrat was previously employed as a labourer and a disqualification will affect his ability to find agency work which can depend on him driving.

The only aggravating feature in the case, according to Mr Tomlinson, is that there were passengers in the car.

Mr Tomlinson added: “He accepted smoking cannabis on his 21st birthday and it remained in his system longer than anticipated.”

Magistrates fined Sharratt £120 and ordered him to pay a £30 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

He was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.