Man recovering from addiction gets 18-month ban for drug-driving

A driver who had white powder around his nose when police spoke to him after a collision in Widcombe has been banned from getting behind the wheel for the next 18 months.

At Bath Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 20th May, 37-year-old James Pethick admitted that on 12th November last year he drove a Vauxhall Corsa on Prior Park Road when the proportion of a ketamine in his blood was 181 micrograms, exceeding the specified limit which is 20.

The court heard that Pethick was already subject to a 12-month ban for a drink-driving offence that occurred after the drug-driving one for which he was in the dock last Wednesday.

Pethick’s solicitor Jo Hooper said that at the time of the two incidents he was an addict, but is now in recovery.

She submitted documents to the court outlining that Pethick, from Bloomfield in Bath, has been in rehabilitation of his own volition and is currently living in a dry house.

He is “focused and motivated” and has a good job as a project manager although the loss of his licence has a “significant impact” on his earning capacity.

Magistrates noted that Pethick is turning his life around.

They fined him £1,538 based on his income and ordered him to pay a £650 court surcharge and £85 prosecution costs.

They banned him from driving for 18 months, and the other ban will run concurrently.