Drug driver caught by Wigan police who were searching for street racers

John Vernazza – who is now barred from the road for a year – was driving home late on the evening of June 30 when he was stopped by chance by a traffic patrol.

In a hearing at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court, the 47-year-old, of Bardale Grove in Ashton, pleaded guilty to one count of drug-driving.

Prosecuting, Tess Kenyon told the bench that police officers were on patrol in Bryn following reports of joyriders in the area.

She said that at around 11.15pm, the officers were in Grange Road when they spotted a Vauxhall Vectra which matched the description of one of the joyriding vehicles, and stopped the driver, who identified himself as Vernazza.

An officer smelled cannabis coming from inside the vehicle, and Vernazza confirmed to them he had been smoking the class B drug earlier in the evening.

He provided a roadside saliva sample which tested positive, and he was arrested and taken to the police station.

Ms Kenyon said that there a further reading found 6ug/L of Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol – the psychoactive element found within cannabis – in his blood.

The legal driving limit is 2ug/L.

Defending, Melissa Fagan told the bench that Vernazza had been to a friend’s house for the evening.

He did not drink any alcohol but did, admittedly, smoke a “small amount” of cannabis, although he felt fit enough drive.

It was also pointed out that police made no reports of Vernazza driving erratically or poorly, and that he was pulled over simply because his vehicle resembled that of a suspected joyrider’s.

She also asked the court to note that he had co-operated fully with officers during their investigation and was “fully coherent”.

Vernazza was disqualified from driving for 12 months, and must pay a £406 fine, £85 in court costs and a £40 victim surcharge.