A DRUG-driver was seen under his stationary vehicle in a live M6 lane, trying to fix it, after colliding with an object late at night.
Police responded to reports of a breakdown on the southbound carriageway, close to Junction 38 near Tebay, on December 1.
“Whilst in a live lane, the driver was under a vehicle, trying to fix it,” prosecutor George Shelley told Carlisle Magistrates’ Court. “Police attended the scene and found the vehicle on the hard shoulder.”
Anthony Stevenson, the 39-year-old driver, was with the Audi S3 but his behaviour prompted concerns.
“The presentation of the defendant was energetic, skittish and agitated,” said Mr Shelley. “Mr Stevenson indicated he had struck a grass verge on the motorway, causing damage to his car.”
He provided negative breath and saliva samples but, said the prosecutor: “Officers at the scene developed suspicions he was unfit to drive through drugs. He was arrested.”
Stevenson provided a blood sample which, when analysed, showed the level of recreational drug methamphetamine in his system was above the legal driving limit.
In court he admitted drug-driving.
Defence solicitor Kevin Batch suggested in his address to magistrates that Stevenson should be given credit for his candour with officers.
“He does explain in his interview with the police that he was driving on the motorway. He had overtaken a lorry. He had collided with an obstruction in the road. Bear in mind it was night time; it was dark.
“He collided with an obstruction. That is what took him off the road. Respectfully there is no evidence of bad driving on his part.
“After his vehicle came to a halt he looked underneath it, trying to assess it. He was trying to move it out of the live lane. He was arrested. He goes to the police station. He co-operates with the police in every which way he can.
"He was a man of previous good character.”
Stevenson had driven since the age of 18 and viewed the imminent loss of his licence as the greatest punishment for his offence, said the lawyer.
Although currently on sick leave, Stevenson was employed as a production technician on a gas platform off the Lancashire coast. “When on the rig he is responsible for the rig. Clearly he is a man who has an extremely responsible job.”
Stevenson, of Windermere Road, Lancaster, was fined £1,500 and banned from driving for 17 months.
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