A SUSPECTED drug driver who was supposed to serving a six month ban told a district judge that he refused to give police a blood sample because he was “anti-needle” and the procedure was “highly dangerous.”

Christopher Fullard, 36, admitted that he was driving illegally because he was a banned driver and that he had no insurance.

But at Carlisle’s Rickergate court, he conducted his own defence as a trial was held over the allegation he denied – that he had no reasonable excuse for failing to provide a blood sample to police after he was stopped by police on the A689 at Houghton, north of Carlisle, on November 12 last year.

He was found guilty.

Prosecutor George Shelley said police had grounds to suspect that the defendant had used drugs and so asked him for both a saliva sample and then a blood sample, so this could be analysed for evidential reasons.

But Fullard refused, telling the police officers that “God” would not let him provide the sample. Asked if he had a medical reason for his refusal, he replied that the procedure was “highly dangerous.”

In court, Fullard accepted that he had no medical evidence and reference was made to covid conspiracies. He told the court that his knowledge of the Nuremberg war trials established that a person could not be forced to undergo a medical procedure.

“I thought I was acting within the law,” he said. District Judge John Temperley quizzed the defendant about whether he had a religious reason for refusing give a blood sample.

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Fullard said he was not a Christian but did believe in God. He made reference to the entire system being “Satanic”. The defendant spoke also about having had treatment for his mental health earlier this year.

Delivering his guilty verdict, District Judge Temperley said he was satisfied the police had good reason to suspect drug use and they carried out their legal procedure at the roadside and the police station correctly.

They were within their rights to require Fullard to provide a roadside saliva sample and, he having refused, within their rights to take him to the police station to investigate further and ask for a blood sample.

Commenting on the defendant’s claims, the judge said no evidence was provided of a religious or medical reason for the refusal.

The judge noted that Fullard had watched a lot of videos during the pandemic, some including covid conspiracy theories.   

Of the claim that the procedure to give blood at the police station was dangerous, the judge added: “There is absolutely no evidence to support that kind of theory; there was no danger to Mr Fullard.”

The defendant, from Chester-le-Street, County Durham, who was prosecuted for drink driving nine years ago, was given a three-year ban and a £300 fine, along with £300 costs and a £40 victim surcharge.

The defendant's original driving ban - for six-months - was given to him last September as a result of the  'totting up' procedure, the court heard.

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