Ashfield man had been to buy more cannabis when he was pulled over for drug driving

Stephen Harpur appeared before Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, January 26 where he admitted drug driving and possession of cannabis.

The court heard that Harpur, 40, of Nesbitt Street, Sutton, was pulled over by police in Brick Kiln Lane, Mansfield, on June 12 last year.

Prosecuting, Daniel Pietryka told the court: “His Skoda was seen by the police and a check showed that it wasn’t insured and that was their concern at the time.

“They noticed the smell of cannabis and they saw a small amount on the driver’s seat.”

The court heard that Harpur had been summoned to court in Northampton in 2017 for drink driving, but didn’t know about the case until police called at his home in 2019.

Mitigating, Neil Taylor told the court: “He had smoked cannabis the night before and had driven the following day, not believing that the drug was still in his system, but he now realises that’s not the case.

“He had just finished work and had gone and bought some more cannabis, which was the quantity found in his car.

“He didn’t know about the first ban and was quite surprised when he was arrested.”

District Judge Leo Pyle banned Harpur for three years, fined him a total of £200 and ordered him to pay £85 in prosecution costs and a £34 victim surcharge.

Sentencing, he said: “The reality is that cannabis is an illegal substance and it impairs your ability to drive.”

He also ordered the drugs to be forfeited and destroyed.

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