A SOLIHULL man who had a bucket of cannabis in his car when he was stopped by the police after they saw it was on false number plates has escaped being jailed.
Wayne Draisey pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to possessing the cannabis with intent to supply it and driving with over the legal limits of cannabis and cocaine in his system.
But the court heard he had entered his pleas on the basis that he and a friend had grown the cannabis together – and he was delivering his friend’s share, rather than dealing commercially.
The 35-year-old of Guernsey Drive, Smiths Wood was sentenced to seven months in prison suspended for 18 months, and was ordered to do 250 hours of unpaid work.
Prosecutor David Bright said that on April 1 police officers on patrol on the M6 southbound at 11.15am saw a Ford Fiesta which a check showed was on false number plates.
When it pulled off the motorway, the officers stopped it and arrested Draisey and his female passenger, although no action has been taken against her.
On the back seat of the car was a bucket containing 998 grams of cannabis, which Mr Bright said would have a street value of £4,000 to £5,000.
Draisley was tested for drugs, and gave positive readings for both cannabis and cocaine which were more than twice the permitted levels for driving.
Mr Bright pointed out: “It’s his third intoxicated driving this year.”
Omar Majid, defending, said: “Mr Draisey understands his actions, not just on this occasion but over the course of a few months, were utterly stupid and have put him in a position where he’s at risk of immediate imprisonment.
“But it is my submission that Your Honour could impose a sentence which could be served in the community.”
Referring to Draisey’s basis of plea, Mr Majid stressed: “he was not selling to other people on the street.”
And of the positive drug tests, he added: “There was no suggestion by the police officers that there was any impairment to his driving.
“It was because they thought it might be stolen that they decided to stop him, and he stopped immediately.”
Judge Peter Cooke commented: “The pre-sentence report makes plain the reaction he’s had at home to his immense stupidity on this occasion.”
Sentencing Draisey and banning him from driving for three years, Judge Cooke told him: “You have been incredibly stupid.
“You have been stupid enough for the third time this year to be driving while you have drugs in your system, and because it is your third intoxicated driving offence I have no hesitation in saying this passes the custody threshold.
“We are coming towards the end of 2019. Can you make it your New Year’s resolution not to be such an idiot in 2020,” he added.
