Milford Haven man told magistrates he did not realise drugs taken days earlier would still be detectable

A MILFORD HAVEN motorist has been banned from driving after being caught behind the wheel with cocaine and benzoylecgonine in his system.

Ben Conroy, 22, of Picton Road, Hakin, Milford Haven, was stopped by police at around 5:00pm on December 12 following a moving traffic offence on Steynton Road.

A roadside drugs wipe tested positive for cocaine. Further blood analysis later showed he had 240 microgrammes of benzoylecgonine and 24 microgrammes of cocaine in his system. The legal limits are 50 and 10 respectively.

Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court heard this week that Conroy had just collected his Ford Focus following an MOT and was driving to a friend’s house when he was stopped.

After he pleaded guilty to two charges of drug-driving, his solicitor, Alaw Harries, said the drugs had been taken several days earlier during a friend’s celebration.

“He’d taken the drugs several days previously at a friend’s celebration and didn’t realise they would still be in his system,” she said.

“This has been a genuine learning curve for the defendant and he is determined not to come before the courts again.”

Conroy was disqualified from driving for 17 months.

Magistrates also imposed a 12-month community order, during which he must complete a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement and ten rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He was fined £120 and ordered to pay a £114 court surcharge and £85 in costs.

Magistrates decline jurisdiction after more than 20 grams of Class A drugs and £2,610 in cash found in vehicle

A FISHGUARD man has been sent to Crown Court for sentence after admitting possessing cocaine with intent to supply.

Rhun Francis, 53, of Penbanc, Fishguard, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week, where he pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine with intent to supply, possessing cannabis and possessing criminal property, namely £2,610 in cash.

The court heard that Francis was stopped and searched by police while driving on August 13.

Crown Prosecutor Linda Baker said that when officers asked if there were drugs in the vehicle, Francis immediately produced two bags of white powder from the front console and placed them on the driver’s seat.

“A further wrapper of cocaine was found in a wallet in the vehicle,” she said.

The total drugs recovered amounted to 20.79 grams of cocaine and 17 grams of cannabis.

The court was told that during police interview Francis admitted having “a big problem with cocaine use”.

“People ask him to get them some, and he supplies up to seven people fairly regularly,” said Ms Baker.

“He only supplies a few grams at a time and charges £95 for a gram and £50 for a half.

“He uses up to 50 per cent of what he buys for his personal use and then he sells the rest.”

Francis was represented by solicitor Michael Kelleher, who said the offending involved a limited number of users and was driven by the defendant’s own addiction.

“The amount of dealing is limited to a maximum of seven people and was only used to facilitate his own habit,” he said.

“The amount of drugs found was relatively small and the cash found in his possession would have gone on to purchase more cocaine. But the vast majority of this money was left over from a building job carried out at his property. His phone analysis corroborates with this.”

Because of the seriousness of the offences, magistrates declined jurisdiction.

Francis will now be sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on May 5. He was released on unconditional bail.

Motorist told police he had drunk heavily in early hours before being stopped in High Street

A MOTORIST who was almost three times over the drink-drive limit was seen speeding through Neyland High Street before being stopped by police, magistrates have heard.

Christopher Harper, 47, of Strongbow Walk, Pembroke, was seen leaving the marina car park at around 10:00am on March 26 while driving a Nissan Juke.

Crown Prosecutor Linda Baker told Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week that the vehicle had earlier been seen parked in the lower marina car park.

“The driver appeared to be under the influence of something and seemed incapable of driving,” she said.

Officers watched as the vehicle pulled out of the car park and travelled at speed towards the High Street.

“The officers activated their blue lights and the vehicle finally came to a stop at the top of the High Street,” she said.

When spoken to by police, Harper admitted he had consumed a large amount of alcohol at around 2:00am that morning.

He gave a positive roadside breath test and was arrested. Further breath tests carried out at the police station showed he had 98 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Harper pleaded guilty to the drink-driving charge and represented himself in court.

“It was stupid and I shouldn’t have done what I did,” he told magistrates in mitigation.

Because of the high alcohol reading, magistrates adjourned sentencing until April 16 so that a probation report can be prepared.

Harper was released on unconditional bail, and an interim driving ban was imposed pending sentence.