A FARM contractor‘s drug-driving conviction after being caught days after using cocaine with friends should serve as a “wake-up call” to others.

That was the conclusion of a magistrate who handed 27-year-old Jonathan Stoddart a year-long road ban which would have a “significant” impact on his job.

Prosecutor George Shelley told Carlisle’s Rickergate court today (Friday) that a police constable was on mobile patrol near Wigton on August 22 last year.

“He noticed a pickup truck and, due to the time of evening and rural location, the vehicle was pulled over for a check regarding documents,” said Mr Shelley.

Stoddart was the driver of that Ford Ranger, and Mr Shelley continued: “Officers suspected him to be under the influence due to his presentation.”

Stoddart admitted he had just been drinking at a public house.

But when tests were carried out, a drug wipe provided a positive result for cocaine. Stoddart was arrested and conveyed to custody where an evidential sample was provided.

This showed the level of cocaine in his bloodstream was above the legal driving limit.

In court, Stoddart admitted a drug-driving charge on what was his first appearance in a dock as he had no previous criminal convictions.

“Mr Stoddart is very sorry,” said his lawyer, Andrew Gurney. “He works very hard. He is a farm contractor. He has done that all of his adult life.”

The mandatory driving ban heading his way would have a “significant” impact on that employment as he would be restricted to driving vehicles on private land, stated the solicitor.

“I understand Mr Stoddart had been using cocaine several days before with friends and that he thought it was safe to drive. It is a mistake on his part,” said Mr Gurney.

Stoddart, of Hillside, Wigton, had been making some “poor lifestyle choices” at the time having hit “rock bottom”.

“He intends to put his life right. I very much doubt this (court appearance) will be repeated,” Mr Gurney also said in his address to magistrates. “I would ask you to keep the driving disqualification to a minimum.”

Magistrates imposed a 12-month ban — and a £150 fine — for a crime which has seen multiple drug-drivers in previous cases state that they did not realise cocaine would still be in their system days after taking it.

“Cocaine,” lead magistrate Kevin Wilderspin told Stoddart as sentence was passed, “stays in your bloodstream quite a long time. I think it is clearly a wake-up call for a lot of people.”