A Pembrokeshire motorist has lost his licence after police received information that the 40-year-old male may have been driving under the influence of drugs.

This week Haverfordwest Magistrates court was told that at around 8.30pm on November 22 officers received a call informing them that Michael Miles was suspected of driving his Peugeot Bipper through Milford Haven after consuming drugs.

Miles was subsequently stopped on Marble Hall Road and when spoken to by the officers, he informed them that he was a drug user.  A saliva sample tested positive for cocaine while further tests carried out at the police station showed that Miles had 760 mcg of the cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine in his system, the legal limit being 50.

Miles, of Milford Road, Steynton, chose to be legally unrepresented in court and pleaded guilty to the drug-driving charge.

The probation service said he was very remorseful for the offence and has since had appointments with the Dyfed Drugs and Alcohol Service to help him deal with his drug usage. Miles was served with an interim driving disqualification however as a result of his previous non-payment of fines, his punitive sentencing was adjourned to Thursday, May 7.

“If you pay your outstanding fines before Thursday, you will be fined for this offence,” warned District Judge Mark Layton.  “But if you don’t pay, you will be given a custodial sentence.”

A ROUTINE police check has resulted in a drug-driving conviction for Haverfordwest resident Nima Hajiaghaee after he was found with Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol in his system.

This week Haverfordwest magistrates were told that Hajiaghaee, 36, was stopped at around 10.30 am on January 19 as he drove his Peugeot van along Dredgemans Hill heading towards Johnston  A roadside breath test proved positive for cannabis while further samples gave a reading of 5.3, the legal limit being 2.

Hajiaghaee pleaded guilty to the charge and chose to legally represent himself before District Judge Mark Layton.

Addressing the judge, the defendant accepted full responsibility for his actions but stressed that a mandatory driving ban is likely to have a considerable impact on his employment with a specialist installation company.

“My job involves improving living conditions for elderly and vulnerable people and means I regularly have to travel across the UK,” he said.  “This is extremely specialist work and depends on my ability to drive.

“I’m now worried about the spiraling financial consequences as a result of a disqualification.

“I’ve reflected seriously on the incident and realise the importance of road safety.  It’s  had a significant impact on me and I can assure the court I will not find myself in this situation again.”

Hajiaghaee, of Cleddau Avenue, Haverfordwest, was disqualified from driving for 12 months.   He was fined £600 and ordered to pay a £240 court surcharge and £85 costs.

A Milford motorist has lost his licence after being caught driving with cannabis in his system.

Cyril Davies, 45, was stopped by officers at approximately 12.45pm on January 6, when they saw his Volkswagen Tiguan being driven along Milford Road in Steynton.

A roadside drugs wipe proved positive while further tests carried out at the police station showed the defendant had 4.4 mcg of Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol in his system, the legal limit being 2.

This week Haverfordwest Magistrates Court was told that Davies, of Coombs Drive, Milford Haven, has no previous convictions.  He chose to be legally unrepresented in court. After pleading guilty to the drink-driving charge, he was fined £400 and ordered to pay a £160 court surcharge and £85 costs.  He was disqualified from driving for 12 months.