10 penalty points for man caught in driver's seat after smoking cannabis

High Bailiff tells 20-year-old 'Cannabis and driving does not mix'

A Peel man who was found in his car in the early hours of the morning after smoking cannabis has been fined £950.  

Police spotted Jacob John Leece, of St Germans Place, on Arrasey Road in Glen Maye, at 1.25am on 27 November.

The 20-year-old was in the driver’s seat with the keys in the ignition – when officers spoke to him they noted his eyes were glazed and drooping and he was drowsy with slow speech.

A drug wipe test was carried out and Leece was arrested; a search of his car recovered 2.8 grams of the drug, with a street value of £46, and a grinder.

Leece told police he’d been with friends in a nearby plantation and had taken cannabis four hours earlier before returning to his vehicle to watch YouTube videos and wait until later in the morning.

At Douglas Courthouse Leece admitted being in possession of cannabis and being in charge of a vehicle whilst over the legal drug drive limit.

His advocate told the court it was an ‘extremely low reading’ adding: "Mr Leece has done everything he can to rid himself of this habit. This has been a very sobering experience for him."

Endorsing his driving licence with 10 penalty points High Bailiff Jayne Hughes told Leece: "Cannabis and driving does not mix at all. A lot of people have appeared in court and found that out the hard way."

Leece was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £125 with the High Bailiff adding: "You need to drive carefully over the next three years or so."